Kirsten Gillibrand Hits Carly Fiorina For Opposition To Paid Leave

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) criticized GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina for her stance on paid leave.

On Sunday, Fiorina said she would oppose  a government requirement to give private sector workers paid leave.

"I don't think it's the role of government to dictate to the private sector how to manage their businesses," Fiorina told Jake Tapper on CNN 's "State of the Union." "For the government to tell others how to do things, when the government hasn't gotten its basic house in order, is not only ineffective, it's hypocritical."

Gillibrand told Fortune  that stance won't help Fiorina win favor with GOP voters.

“I think it will overwhelmingly [hurt] her with both male and female Republican voters because overwhelmingly, they all support paid leave,” Gillibrand said.

“She may just not be aware, she may be in her own world, her own bubble where she can afford child care, she can afford support when she needs it, but her low-wage worker can’t,” Gillibrand added.

A February HuffPost/YouGov poll  showed most Americans support paid leave, with 67 percent favoring paid maternity leave, and 55 percent supporting paid paternity leave. In May, Gillibrand announced a plan  to provide all U.S. workers with paid leave.

According to HuffPost Pollster , Fiorina is trailing many of her GOP rivals, but polling ahead of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Sen. Rick Santorum and Sen. Lindsey Graham, among others.

Read more from Gillibrand at Fortune .