I lived in the capital region for a few years and had a 9 mi. commute. I rode most of the year but didn't fight the roads when it was snowing much. I don't think the bike itself will matter much - go with your preferences so long as the bike can handle fenders and any racks you may want to mount. Studded snow tires aren't a bad idea but they are SLOW.

I now live in Vermont and do quite well commuting with an internal 8 speed hub (we actually have hills here unlike the Capital region ) but I don't bike through the winters as they are more extreme (actual temps of -35F, 4ft. of snow, etc.). I do know people who commute all year here using the Alfine 8-speed hubs - they are very nice and seem to require little maintenance.