ALBANY – In her brief stint in Congress, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand – the pick to fill Hillary Rodham Clinton’s seat – has distinguished herself for at least two things: an ability to win big in Republican country and an ambition that reaches beyond her slim résumé.
The 42-year-old mother of two burst onto the political scene just two years ago with an upset victory over a veteran GOP congressman days after a report about a domestic-violence incident at his home was leaked.
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The narrow win catapulted Gillibrand to Washington.
Since then, Gillibrand has tried to craft an image of openness and independence, taking the unusual step of posting her financial disclosure and daily schedules online and holding weekly street-corner forums in her 200-mile-long district.
In October, she was the only New York Democrat to vote against the $700 billion rescue for Wall Street banks. She also holds a 100 percent voter rating from the National Rifle Association, a rarity in her party.
“She’s a real star,” said former state Democratic Chairwoman Judith Hope.
Before being elected to Congress, Gillibrand, an attorney, worked at Boies, Schiller & Flexner, a huge Democratic donor. In the late 1990s, she served as special counsel to then- Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo – who had been widely seen as the leading contender for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s seat.
While her elected experience is short, Gilli brand’s family boasts deep po litical roots.
Her grand mother, Polly Noonan, was the longtime para mour to legend ary Albany Mayor Erastus Corning, who ruled the city for more than 40 years until his death.
Her father, Doug Rutnik, is a well-connected Statehouse lob byist with close ties to Republi cans, including ex-Gov. George Pataki, former Sen. Al D’Amato and state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.
Politically, Gillibrand would add a female face and upstate bona fides to Paterson’s all-male and downstate- dominated election slate in 2010. She had her second son last May, making her the sixth woman to give birth while in Congress.