One prominent New York Democrat has already taken herself out of contention for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, with Rep. Nita Lowey announcing that she is not interested in getting appointed.

Lowey told the Associated Press that she wouldn't want to give up her seniority and her seat on the House Appropriations Committee -- she's been in the chamber for 20 years -- and the power that it gives her to affect the federal budget.

The seat will be filled by New York's Democratic Gov. David Paterson, who has a lot of things to consider: Sectional politics, race, gender, the potential to kick an intra-party rival upstairs, and hopefully merit. Most press speculation has centered on state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, but it could conceivably go to someone else. Whoever does get the appointment would be the heavy favorite to hold the seat in 2010, as the New York Republicans don't exactly have a strong bench at the moment.