Thirty-nine percent of voters rate her job performance as "fair," 25 percent say it is excellent or good (only 3 percent say "excellent"), and 12 percent call it "poor," according to a Marist poll conducted Nov. 16-17. But the important number may be that 24 percent don't know enough about her to express an opinion. By contrast, only 4 percent of New Yorkers don't know enough about senior Sen. Charles Schumer to have an opinion.

Fellow Democrats have tried to help her raise her visibility. Last July, she was given a moment in the spotlight when she formally introduced then-Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to the televised Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. But Gillibrand took a few too many moments and after about six minutes, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy cut her off.

A Marist poll released last week said that if former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani challenged her, he'd be leading 54 percent to 40 percent, with 6 percent undecided.

If former Gov. George Pataki were her opponent, Pataki would be leading 47 percent to 45 percent, with 8 percent undecided. The margin of error is 3.5 points.