Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), who had been preparing to challenge appointed U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the 2010 Democratic primary, has announced that he will not be running — at the urging of President Obama, who has now stepped in to clear the field for Gillibrand.
“I spoke with President Obama today,” Israel said in a statement. “He asked me that I not run for the U.S. Senate this year.”
Israel said this was a tough decision, and he’d received a lot of encouragement to make the race: “But in the interest of providing New York and our country with a united front for progressive change, I have decided to continue my efforts in Congress and not pursue a campaign for the U.S. Senate.”
Late Update: DSCC Chairman Bob Menendez has released this statement: “Steve Israel is a terrific Congressman, and the people of Long Island are lucky to have him as their fierce advocate in Washington. New Yorkers have one of the strongest Congressional delegations in the country and clearly Senator Gillibrand is making them proud as their new Senator. She’s working around the clock, traveling the state, delivering for New York, and given her strong track record thus far, looks to be well-positioned for 2010. The DSCC looks forward to continuing working with her to make sure she well-prepared for her race.”
Late Late Update: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s office gives us this statement from her: “I am very appreciative of Congressman Israel’s generous decision. Congressman Israel has been an extraordinary leader within the delegation and has been a friend since I first ran for Congress. I look forward to working with him and President Obama to fix the economy and create good-paying jobs on Long Island and across New York.”
