Kirsten Gillibrand Quotes

I thought I could make a difference, so I ran for office.

I'm asking people to vote for me because I'm an activist leader and a problem solver.

I am proud to represent people who care so deeply about their communities. Their perseverance and strength only motivates me more as their representative in Congress.

I would like to run for the mayor of the city of Chicago. That has always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives.

I always saw politics as an expansion of my role as a mom.

I hope there have been times when I made you all proud, or made you all smile or at least piqued your interest in this wonderful institution we call government.

The reason why I'm here today is to explain why I am running and what I will do if you give me the honor and the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. Now I'm running for the United State Senate for a simple reason, and that is... I want to win a Nobel Peace prize.

My approach to running for office has always been driven by where can I do the most good and where are my skills best applied.

I think the most important thing to know is I'm running for governor because I love the state of Michigan.

What motivated me to dedicate myself to public service for nearly two-thirds of my life was the chance to produce results for those people who entrusted me to be their voice and their champion.

At the moment I am a little bit politician, yes. I think that could be my next step. It is not because I want power, it is because of what I think I could do for the people.

School boards can be a steppingstone to higher forms of political leadership.

The local communities, through their leaders, were able to build a communications network that allowed my work here to reflect the needs and interests of the people within the 9th Congressional District. It's been an honor to do that and we did so successfully.

What drives people to public service is a sense of possibility. If you haven't sensed that possibility you don't get started in the same way, you don't feel you can have an impact.

My ministry's always been one of social activism. I think a responsible minister must be at some levels involved in the social order.

If I want to continue to build the kind of effort we have with Do Something, being in a public office would help. I wouldn't rule it out, but it's not something I feel determined to do.

I don't want to run for governor, but I don't think anyone should put public service out of the question because that's not what a good citizen does.

I feel a real responsibility to my community and so right now there has been this bizarre myth in our community how our vote doesn't count. I'm trying to get out there and re-educate on how the government works and break that myth and talk about the importance of being involved.

Our calling is not just within the walls of the congregation, but we are part of the life and community in which our condition resides.

In the U.K., a lot of writers won't show up to support activist issues because they figure they're already repairing the world. I don't want to be one of those people.

Politics isn't just a game of clashing parties and competing interests. The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.

Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well.

There are many ways of encouraging people to make life better other than joining a political party. Politics with a small 'p' isn't just about darkened committee rooms, endless meetings - it is about giving people the right to make decisions about our lives.

Politicians fascinate because they constitute such a paradox; they are an elite that accomplishes mediocrity for the public good.

I want to be a mayor who helped, really helped.