Gillibrand Rival Reportedly Won’t Run in Primary

WASHINGTON — Representative Carolyn B. Maloney is expected to announce today that she has changed her mind and will not enter the primary race against Kirsten E. Gillibrand, New York’s newly appointed senator.

A person close to Mrs. Maloney, a Democrat from Manhattan, said she made her decision not to run after days of agonizing over the fact that running meant she would have to leave her current job at a point when she had significant seniority in Congress.

"It’s been a tough decision for her," said the Maloney associate who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter.

Mrs. Maloney’s decision potentially clears the path for Ms. Gillibrand, who Gov. David A. Paterson picked to fill Hillary Clinton’s vacant seat in January, for the Democratic party’s nomination in the race for United States Senate next year.

It came after an intense effort by Democrtic leaders, including President Obama, to nudge potential challengers out of the race out of concerns that a bruiding primary battle would have weakened Ms. Gillibrand against a formidable Republican challenge in the general election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/08/nyregion/08maloney.html?_r=2&hp