Wow, this would be huge:
Multiple sources in Western New York politics have confirmed that there is a strong possibility that Cong. Tom Reynolds (R-Erie) will not run for a sixth term next year, opening up a race for the seat by State Sen. George Maziarz (R-Niagara), thus placing Maziarz’ seat up for grabs.Rumors of a potential Reynolds departure and a Maziarz play for a congressional seat have been flying around political circles in Buffalo and Niagara Falls for months, though Reynolds spokesman L.D. Platt denies the rumors and says the congressman will run again.
Tom Reynolds? He wasn’t even on the watch list! I suppose barely winning a House race against a total crank last year amid news that he covered up for Mark Foley, all while losing the House under his tenure at the NRCC could be enough to seriously take the wind out of his sails.
This seat leans Republican on the Presidential level, with a PVI of R+3.5, but Democrats already have a challenger ready to go, Iraq Vet Jon Powers. With Reynolds out of the picture, Powers would have an immediate (if perhaps temporary) fundraising advantage over the GOP successor, and spread the NRCC’s defenses even thinner.
Stay tuned.
(H/T: The Albany Project)
Along with Zach Wamp, Rahm Emanuel, and some others. Him retiring is kindof surprising from that angle as well. Especially since neither Boehner nor Blunt have a particularly strong hold on the leadership, and might lose it if the GOP loses a lot of seats in 08.
Interesting.
just changed his ranking for NY-26 from Solid R to Likely R
a reynolds retirement would most likely open up a NYS senate seat, a rare occurrence and a real, though difficult, pick up opportunity.
….will hurt us badly in these upstate NY races?
Wow, if he does retire, the seat is likely a toss-up similar to last year’s race in NY-24. The one downside is that if the Dems pick up this seat, NY-29, and NY-25, there may in 2012 there may be some huge Dem primaries or retirements after upstate loses one or two seats in the next reapportionment.
Who would have predicted a couple of years ago that in all of New England there would be not one Republican Congressman left! Well ONE if you count the very liberal Chris Shays of the New York City suburban district of Greenwich, CT, whom many Republicans consider a RINO.
If WE could clean house here in New England, surely you New Yorkers can follow suit. And to do it, use every opportunity to remind people to Google “Republican corruption” and check out the top two sites. The first or second will be my very own
http://JesusNoRepubl… ( also known as http://LiberalsLikeC… ). These sites make the contrast between the two major parties crystal clear.
Rev. Ray Dubuque, founder (12 years ago) of “Liberals Like Christ”