New York Senator, Senate | featured news

By the time Caroline Kennedy finally announced she wanted to be New York's junior senator, her bid to replace Hillary Clinton was already in serious trouble.

After weeks of speculation that Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat would be filled by Caroline Kennedy, it appears the office will go to a member of a lower-profile political family. Sources say New York Gov. David Paterson will appoint Democratic U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to replace Clinton, who is now secretary of state in the Obama administration.

An account by a person close to Gov. David A. Paterson is at odds with Caroline Kennedy’s own description of her reasons for withdrawing.

Caroline Kennedy, daughter of slain President John F. Kennedy and scion to the political dynasty, withdrew her name from the list of contenders for the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, hours after Clinton was sworn in as secretary of state late Wednesday.

Caroline Kennedy, who was widely considered the front-runner to fill Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate seat for New York, has removed herself from consideration for that post, according to three Democratic sources. The 51-year-old daughter of President John F. Kennedy indicated her interest in filling the seat after Clinton was nominated to be U.S. secretary of state.

New York Gov. David Paterson insisted Monday he still hasn't decided whom he will appoint to the Senate seat expected to soon be vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton despite news reports to the contrary.