Freshman Democratic Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, who unseated Republican John Sweeney in 2006 in New York's 20th Congressional District, called on Eliot Spitzer to resign earlier today:

"This is very grave and sad news. My heart goes out to the governor's family," Gillibrand said in a prepared statement. "If these serious allegations are true, the governor will have no choice but to resign."

Soon after the Spitzer news broke yesterday, the NRCC blasted out an email calling on Gillibrand (and Reps. John Hall, Michael Arcuri, and Eric Massa, Dan Maffei) to give back donations from Spitzer which the NRCC characterized gratuitously as "sleazy money." Gillibrand has not dignified the NRCC's presser with a response.

For the Republicans, former Secretary of State Sandy Treadwell, retired police office John Wallace, and businessman Mike Rocque are vying for the right to face Gillibrand in November. The GOP primary is September 9.