Kirsten Gillibrand

A dedicated public servant with deep New York roots

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is running for reelection to continue fighting for New York  families. She grew up in upstate New York in a family of women with a tradition of public service. She learned about campaigning and organizing from her political powerhouse grandmother, and her mother’s legal work taught her the importance of advocating for overlooked communities. Gillibrand followed their lead, first working as a lawyer, then finding her own path to public service. That path, which started at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, led her back to upstate New York, where she decided to raise her family and make a long-shot bid to represent her home district in Congress. In 2006, Gillibrand, and her 2-year-old son Theo, hit the campaign trail, taking on a long-term Republican incumbent in a district with a 2-1 Republican majority — and won. EMILYs List was with her every step of the way. When she became a senator in 2009, she drew on her mother’s commitment to raising the voices of those who most need advocates and gained a reputation for taking on the toughest fights in Washington. She is also carrying on her grandmother’s fight to bring women into the political process, making it her mission to help more women run for office. In 2010, she launched Off the Sidelines, issuing a call to women and girls to get involved, raise their voices, and put their names on the ballot. Gillibrand is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the UCLA School of Law. She splits her time between upstate New York and Washington, D.C., and lives with her husband, Jonathan; their two sons, Theo and Henry; and their labradoodle, Maple.

A champion for women and families

Sen. Gillibrand successfully pushed for the repeal of the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, co-authored and passed the STOCK Act to ban insider trading by members of Congress, and passed the historic 9/11 health bill, giving long overdue support to first responders. More recently, she helped pass provisions from her bill making gun trafficking a federal crime as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and helped lead the fight to pass the PACT Act, which ensured veterans exposed to toxins during their service would get the care and benefits they earned. After a nearly decade-long fight against the epidemic of sexual assault in the military, she led the passage of critical reforms to the military justice system. A leading champion for women and families, Gillibrand authored the FAMILY Act, which would create America’s first national paid family and medical leave program.  Gillibrand is a pro-choice champion. She is committed to protecting and defending women’s access to the full range of reproductive health care services, and she will continue to stand with her colleagues to defend against the attacks on women and their health choices.

A must-win reelection fight

The EMILYs List community has stood with Sen. Gillibrand throughout her outstanding career of public service as she fights for women and families in New York State and across the country, and it’s time to have her back as she defends this Senate seat in an unpredictable environment. She is determined to win, and to help Democrats running across the state regain ground after a challenging midterm cycle. We know Gillibrand has what it takes, and we are proud to be with her every step of the way.