Eyeing Gillibrand's Senate seat

A growing field of declared and undeclared candidates has assembled to challenge incumbent Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat appointed in January 2009 to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton. They are:

DEMOCRATS

Harold Ford Jr.

Career: Former congressman from Tennessee; made unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate from his home state in 2006.

Candidacy status: Exploring a run; will announce decision in late February.

Current take: Generating buzz in Democratic circles and attacks from Gillibrand; relative newcomer to New York.

Jonathan Tasini

Career: Former president of the National Writers Union; challenged then-U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2006 Democratic primary.

Candidacy status: Declared, June 2009

Current take: Appeals to left-of-center Democrats but not well known.

REPUBLICANS

Michael Balboni

Career: Former state senator from Mineola and homeland security czar for Govs. Eliot Spitzer and David A. Paterson; now a consultant

Candidacy status: Urged to consider a run by friends.

Current take: Popular moderate who isn't well known beyond Nassau County base.

Bruce Blakeman

Career: Former presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature from Valley Stream; briefly ran for New York City mayor in 2009; lost state comptroller bid in 1998 to Democrat H. Carl McCall; Port Authority commissioner

Candidacy status: Declared, January 2010

Current take: Has run for statewide office before but not well known beyond Nassau.

George Pataki

Career: Former three-term governor and state senator.

Candidacy status: GOP leaders want him to run.

Current take: Said to want to run for President or other executive office.

Sources: Candidates' Web sites; NYS Board of Elections