She needs to spend a lot of time in portions of the state who match the profile of those in the Midwest, which she will need if she runs for president in 2008. If she can win them over in New York, she can win them over in Ohio.
This is another clear signal that George Pataki is positioning himself on the national stage to run for president.
This would also be consistent with a strategy designed to run up high vote totals in New York in areas of the state where the right will try to tell people that she cannot perform well.