Late last night, State Republican Party chairman Ed Cox sent out a statement praising the vote and decrying Gillibrand for her vote.

Kirsten Gillibrand took one more step toward completing her political transformation. In just over 2 years in the United States Senate, she has gone from upstate conservative Democrat Congresswoman to downstate liberal, representing the views of the most radical elements of her party. In opposing today's bipartisan agreement to raise the debt ceiling, Senator Gillibrand put politics before Country, and failed her constituents.

For her part, Gillibrand said that the deal didn't grapple with the jobs crisis and would hurt the country's long-term economic output.

Cox is trying to soften Gillibrand up for 2012, when she next faces statewide voters. So far only Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos has stepped up to challenge her, and her poll numbers and fundraising totals remain strong. There was much chatter yesterday that Gillibrand's vote had less to do with facing a Republican than with endearing herself to downstate and liberal voters.