It’s special election day in New York State and some see this race as a barometer of how Americans regard President Obama’s first few months in office. The special election is set to fill the seat left by Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand when she was nominated by Governor Paterson to fill Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. While the 20th district in upstate New York is traditionally conservative, the race is tight enough to allow Congress watchers to speculate about what the outcome could mean for the President. Emily Cadei, political reporter for Congressional Quarterly, explains the significance of the race.
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