Newly minted New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand, a Democrat, has been praised and criticized up and down the Washington and New York news corridor for supposedly being a pro-gun “moderate.”

After all, it was Gillibrand who said after her appointment, “I will always protect the Second Amendment. I will make sure every American has the right to own a gun.” She also sported an “A” rating from other gun groups at the time. Gun Owners of America had her more accurately rated at a “C.”

Both ratings are sure to go down after her vote last week to keep the Washington, D.C. gun ban on the books.

Presumably, her vote in favor of the ban was a calculated attempt to fend off a primary challenge from anti-gun extremist Carolyn McCarthy, who won a seat in a Long Island House district on a campaign to ban guns.

It remains to be seen if Gillibrand’s vote has satisfied McCarthy, but she’s almost certain to face a primary anyway, as many Empire State Democrats would rather the voters, instead of the walk-on Governor, elect their Senator.