Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand isn’t waiting until the outcome of next week’s primary before teeing off on whichever of the three Republicans gunning for her wins the right to run on Row B in November.

The junior senator’s campaign released a Web video today that attack all of her would-be opponents, using footage from the YNN/NY1 debate to deem them as members of the “most extreme wing of the Republican Party” and in line with right wing candidates running elsewhere in the nation.

Recent polls have shown Gillibrand with a comfortable – and expanding – double-digit lead over all of her less well-known and under-funded challengers. But her own standing with New Yorkers remains shaky and her approval rating (although improving) is still well under 50 percent.

Here’s the statement from Gillibrand’s campaign that accompanied the video sent out this morning.

“In Kentucky, the Republican Senate candidate actually opposes the Civil Rights Act. In Nevada, the Republican Senate candidate actually wants to ‘phase out’ Medicare and Social Security. But we got news for you. The Republicans running for Senate in New York are just as extreme.”

“The New York Republican Party has strayed a long way since the Rockefeller Republican days. Creationism in public schools…? They’re for it. Climate change caused by humans…? They don’t believe the science.
NY Tea Parties…? Watch them pander.”

“The Republicans running against Kirsten come from the most extreme wing of the Republican Party.”

“Meet David Malpass. As Chief Global Economist for Bear Stearns, he helped cause the financial collapse and made millions, while taxpayers were left with the bill. Meet Bruce Blakeman – a failed Nassau County politician whose only legacy is that he raised property taxes on seniors and families on Long Island. And don’t forget about Joe DioGuardi. He calls Social Security a Ponzi scheme.”

UPDATE: Malpass spokeswoman Jessica Proud e-mailed a response (the only one of the three GOP candidates to provide one so far). It appears after the jump.

“Senator Gillibrand approved over $5 trillion in spending during just 18 months in office,” Proud said.

“She voted for government takeover of medicine, something that will cost New Yorkers billions of dollars. Now she is looking to approve the biggest tax increase in history, one aimed squarely at New Yorkers. No wonder she’s trying to distract from her record. The public won’t buy silly web videos like this one.”

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