New York Governor David Patterson has appointed two term Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill the remaining Senate term of Hillary Clinton who has been selected to be the next U.S. Secretary of State. Gillibrand is not a national name, though her family and background have certainly led her to a position of some political power in New York State.

Gillibrand grew up the the Albany, New York area and attended private schools. She is a Dartmouth graduate and an alum of the UCLA law school. She worked under Andrew Cuomo at the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration and worked at several well connected law firms.

Her family has ties to both the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as the Erastus Corning political machine that ruled Albany for nearly 40 years.

Kirsten Gillibrand was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 from New York’s 20th Congressional District. Running north and south between the Hudson River from the Adirondacks into the Catskills, the district was represented by a four term Republican congressman. She is the first woman elected to Congress from the district.

Gillibrand is married and has two sons. She is a Roman Catholic.

Gillibrand has served on the Armed Services committee and the Agriculture committee, both areas of interest to her rural constituency and those voters working for the Watervliet Arsenal.

Gillibrand is considered a “Blue Dog” Democrat, a group of moderate and conservative Democratic members of Congress. She has supported the National Rifle Association on issues but has also supported more liberal initiatives such as withdrawal from Iraq. The New York Times describes her approach, declaring she “has married a relentless political and fund-raising style to a centrist brand of politics”.

The appointment of Gillibrand comes shortly after Caroline Kennedy withdrew from the race. Kennedy was considered a frontrunner but withdrew under heavy criticism from the right and amidst potential problems with her taxes and employees. Andrew Cuomo was also a candidate, the son of a former governor and Secretary of HUD under Bill Clinton.

The American Association of Retired People remarks on her pledged to work in a bi-partisan manner to solve the problems of the elderly in their congratulatory release. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has voiced disappointment at the appointment. President Obama released the following “At this time of great challenge I know that Kirsten has the integrity, character and dedication to public service to help us achieve our greatest goals.”