Rep. Peter King Won't Run Against Gillibrand Next Year

Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island) was considering challenging Senator Kirsten Gillibrand next year, but now says he's not running. Why not? He can't compete with Gilly's money... or her blandness, saying that the new junior Senator "generates neither strong support nor opposition," thus making it "virtually impossible" to raise money against her in state that has many more registered Democrats than Republicans.

King, whose big media splash this summer was when he complained about media coverage on "pedophile" Michael Jackson's death, told the Daily News, "I would have run if Caroline Kennedy were the Democratic candidate. Her candidacy would have generated the media coverage and financial contributions necessary for me to run a competitive race," since he could contrast his "blue-collar conservatism with her Manhattan liberalism." Woulda, coulda shoulda—King once complained about Gillibrand, "To change on so many fundamental issues in such a short period of time obviously raises doubts about her. But once she formulates her positions at least I'll know what the target is."

Gillibrand was appointed by Governor Paterson earlier this year, following Hillary Clinton's departure to become Secretary of State and a media circus around Caroline Kennedy as a possible Senator. The Daily News reports that one Republican rumored to consider running—former Governor George Pataki—won't make a decision until this fall.