Consultants on Replacing Clinton: Great Demands, Limited Bench

A couple of interesting, educated takes on what David Paterson might be thinking about when it comes to replacing Hillary Clinton in the Senate:

Rodney Capel, the former executive director of the state Democratic Party, said that the governor should pick a replacement for Hillary Clinton’s senate seat that benefits his re-election chances.

The new senator should be “someone who has ability to raise money and support the election of the governor with white moderates that overwhelmingly supported Eliot in 2006,” Capel, now with Mercury Public Affairs, said in an IM.

But Capel didn't peg that ability to help Paterson to a specific demographic group: “I would say balance is less important than electability and competence. If the replacement is someone that can’t advance the work of the people of this state and can’t assist the Governor with his own re-election, then region and sex are not as important.”

Another consultant, Kevin Wardally with Bill Lynch Associates, said that Clinton would be tough to replace.

"Whenever Hillary Rodham Clinton opened her mouth on behalf of the needs of NYS, it was local, national and international and whomever follows her will not have that ability, at least right away," Wardally said, also via IM.

When asked about whether Paterson needs to pick someone who helps him reach out to various demographic groups or someone who is considered a strong statewide candidate, Wardally said, "The sad part is he needs both and the combination of those two needs are very hard to find currently in New York. Our statewide elected official bench is not deep."