Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand flat-out lied. As the New York Democrat’s 2018 re-election campaign neared its end, she bluntly denied she would run for president and pledged to serve her full term.
According to an editorial in The Buffalo News (https://buffalonews.com/2019/01/17/editorial-gillibrand-lied/):
At her Oct. 25 debate with Republican challenger Chele Farley, Gillibrand and the moderator had this exchange:
Question: “Can you tell New Yorkers, who plan to vote for you on Nov. 6, that you will, if re-elected, serve out your six-year Senate term?”
Gillibrand: “I will. …”
Question: “Just want to make this clear, you’re saying that you will not get out of the race and you will not run for president? You will serve your six years?”
Gillibrand: “I will serve my six-year term.”
A similar exchange occurred the following day, while meeting with the Buffalo News editorial board:
Question: Are you really not running for president?
Gillibrand: I’m really running for Senate.
Question: But you’re not going to?
Gillibrand: No, I’m focused on my Senate race …
That looks like a lie to me.