AP: Schumer, Gillibrand in Senate seats

NEW YORK (AP) - Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has been elected in New York to the seat she was appointed to last year to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The Associated Press called the race for Gillibrand over Republican Joe DioGuardi based on interviews with voters as they left the polls statewide Tuesday.

The special-election victory gives Gillibrand the seat until 2012, which would have been the end of Clinton's term if she hadn't resigned to become U.S. secretary of state.

Gillibrand was appointed to the seat by Democratic Gov. David Paterson in January 2009. The win represents a milestone in Gillibrand's brief Senate career, in which she initially was labeled by critics as too inexperienced and conservative.

DioGuardi is a certified public accountant who represented Westchester County in the House in the 1980s.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer has eased to a third term over a little-known Republican challenger in New York.

The Associated Press called the race for Schumer based on interviews with voters as they left the polls statewide Tuesday.

Schumer defeated Jay Townsend, a political consultant making his first run for public office.

Schumer is the No. 3 Senate Democrat. He was overwhelmingly favored to win. He's considered a possible successor to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid if the Nevada senator loses his re-election bid.

Schumer was sitting on a political bank account that swelled to $23.2 million by August and had been able to give out millions from his campaign fund to help fellow Democrats in tighter races.