NY-Sen: Nothing to See Here

Remember how the New York Senate seat once held by Hillary Clinton was a dire position to be lost by appointee Kirsten Gillibrand? Quite amazingly, considering the attention paid throughout 2009, this race isn't turning out to be much of a contest. Here's the latest polling from Quinnipiac:

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the Democrat, dominates any of her three possible Republican challengers:

• 44 - 26 percent over Bruce Blakeman;
  
• 45 - 24 percent over David Malpass;
  
• 43 - 28 percent over Joseph DioGuardi.

New York State voters approve 46 - 27 percent of the job Sen. Gillibrand is doing and give her a 38 - 21 percent favorability rating, with 39 percent who haven't heard enough about her to form an opinion.

There isn't much silver lining right now in the race to control the United States Senate, with the battlegrounds shifting from purple states to blue states. But consider this: There was a time not all that long ago that it looked like the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee would have to spend big bucks to save the Senate seat in the expensive state of New York. Today, however, money that might have otherwise been earmarked for this race can go elsewhere -- not great news, but certainly good news for the Democrats.