Caroline Kennedy, the only surviving child of U.S. former President John F. Kennedy, made public on Wednesday her interest to take over New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's seat in the Capitol Hill.
Kennedy made a statement to media as she kicked off a tour in New York to meet politicians, saying she "would be honored" to be appointed to the Clinton's seat.
As the first stop for her campaign for the appointment, she visited Syracuse to meet several Democratic Party power brokers.
The former First Lady Hillary Clinton has been named by President-elect Barack Obama as the next Secretary of State. If approved by the Senate, she will take office on Jan. 20, and resign from the Senate.
New York Governor David Paterson will decide who gets Clinton's seat. The successor will have to run in 2010 to fill the last two years of Clinton's term and then run for a full term in 2012.
Born in New York City on Nov. 27, 1957, Kennedy moved to the White House with her parents when she was three. After her father's assassination in 1963, the family moved back to New York.
She finished her bachelor degree in Harvard and graduated from Columbia Law School in 1988. She is currently an attorney, writer and serves on the boards of many non-profit organizations.
However, like Clinton, Kennedy was questioned of her quality to be a lawmaker since she has never been elected to public office.
Harry Reid, Senate Majority (Democratic) Leader, has endorsed Kennedy to take Clinton's seat, saying "she has lived in government and politics her whole life," and confirmed that he has called Governor Paterson to urge him to appoint Kennedy to the seat.
A poll released Wednesday by the Siena College found that New York voters are divided over Clinton's successor between Kennedy and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
Among 622 interviewees, 31 per cent believes Paterson will choose Kennedy, while 38 per cent said they didn't know or refused to answer and 16 per cent felt Paterson would pick someone else.