Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand brushes off 'hottest member' of Senate remark

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s camp yesterday brushed off Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid calling her one of “the hottest member” of Senate, but some branded the remark sexist and said it could hurt her re-election bid.

“This is not a rap show, this is a campaign for the U.S. Senate. Comments like these don’t help Sen. Gillibrand look serious,” political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said yesterday.

During a fundraiser Monday night at Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s East side townhouse, Politico.com reported that Reid said: “Many senators are known for many things. We in the Senate refer to Sen. Gillibrand as the hottest member.”

The 43-year-old married mother of two was in the audience and blushed after hearing the comments.

Political consultant Evan Stavisky said voters will judge Gillibrand, an upstate Democrat, on her merits.

“Most New Yorkers like and support Sen. Gillibrand because of what she has said and done, not because of what anyone else has said about her,” he said.

Gillibrand’s camp supported Reid.

“The Leader was saying nice things [about her] … and made a joke referencing the Hill article from earlier this year. Sen. Gillibrand has the utmost respect for Senator Reid,” Gillibrand spokesman Matt Canter said in an e-mail.

Gillibrand came in third of The Hill’s list of the 50 most beautiful people on Capitol Hill.
Reid spokesman Jim Manley, told Politico. “What can I say, she made The Hill’s ‘Most Beautiful’ list. Of course he also went on to praise her skill and tenacity….”