NY DELEGATION SQUARELY BEHIND HILLARY - MOSTLY
As we reported recently, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton spend much of last week calling Democrats in her home state measuring and lining up support of her collegues.

Rep. Nita Lowey, from New York City's northern suburbs - mostly Westchester County - told the Journal News (a suburban daily) that she's firmly behind Clinton.

Ditto Rep. Eliot Engel, who represents part of the Bronx and the rest of the inner ring of northern suburbs. Engel spoke with the Journal News' political blog Politics on the Hudson.

The (NY) Daily News' blog The Daily Politics reported most of the state's Democratic congressional delegation plan to support Clinton, but a few are holding back for now, including Rep. Charles Rangel of the Bronx and Congressman-elect John Hall of the far northern exurbs..








John Hall


Rep. Charles Rangel

CLINTON HAS EYE ON CAMPAIGN MANAGER

Meantime, the Washington Post reports today that Clinton has her eye long-time advisor Patti Solis Doyle as campaign manager.

IOWANS COMING TO DINNER

And the Daily News is reporting today that Clinton will host a delegation of Iowa pols for dinner at her Washington home next week.

SPEAKING OF IOWANS....

Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley told the Cedar Rapids Gazzette he doesn't see any way that Clinton will NOT be the Democratic nominee in 2008.



But outgoing Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who has officially announced his intentions to seek the Democratic presidential nomination, told the Christian Science Monitor says he can employ his "quiet charisma" and authenticity to beat Clinton.