The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is the primary player in recruiting and promoting Senate candidates. While Democrats made small gains in the House, they lost ground in the Senate and didn’t flip any seats, though they held on in some tough defensive contests.

“I know how to win red and purple districts, and I’ve won now four statewide races — among the highest margin ever in the history of our state,” Gillibrand said in an interview.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) worked with Gillibrand and others to renew the state Democratic Party in order to reverse losses they sustained in the 2022 election. It worked, and Democrats went from just being up four House seats to Republicans after the 2022 election to being up 12.

That’s the largest disparity between parties since the 2018 midterm elections.

“For the last two years, we’ve been organizing, listening to voters, listening exactly [to] what their top-of-mind issues were, and then making sure we had an agenda and things that we’ve done and things we hope to do on those very topics,” Gillibrand said. “New York was a bright light.”

Gillibrand admits it may take time to flip the Senate blue, “I think it’ll take at least two cycles, but I’m willing to do the work.”

Republicans hold a three-seat majority, but there are several swing states holding Senate elections in 2026 and 2028, including Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

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The current DSCC chair is Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), who has held the position since 2021. If chosen as chairwoman, she’d be the first senator from New York to hold the position since Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) from 2005 to 2008.

Democrats hold their leadership elections on Nov. 19. Peters will not seek the DSCC chairman position again.