Even though an announcement expected a month ago never came, U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney (East Manhattan, Queens) has not backed down from her apparent plan to run against Paterson-appointed senator Kirsten Gillibrand. According to the Daily News this morning, Maloney will make an official announcement in two weeks that she'll enter the primary against her fellow Democrat, who replaced Hillary Clinton. (Carolyn McCarthy, who earlier vowed to also issue a primary challenge, has since backed down.) On the face of it, it may not seem like a particularly ballsy move for Maloney, who has been a congresswoman since 1992 and enjoys wide name recognition, at least in metropolitan New York. But it's been a long time since she's fought a real election battle, and she'll potentially be giving up one of the softest seats in state politics. Gillibrand, who is nearly twenty years her junior, is ready for a fight, and though she has seemingly changed her stance on several key issues, she's also an energetic and flexible opponent. And her influence upstate, where she is from (she sprang from an Albany political dynasty of sorts) and is known as a more moderate Democrat, can't be ignored.

Rep. Maloney vows to challenge Sen. Gillibrand for Senate seat in primary [NYDN]
Related: Read New York's account of Gillibrand's first 100 days in office.