U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning said he welcomes a challenger in November.
It looks like he has one. Three Democrats are running in a primary June 26 in hopes of unseating the freshman congressman — who was to announce his reelection campaign today at a number of spots around the new 23rd Congressional District, including Geneva City Hall this afternoon.
“This is a democracy. I applaud anyone who wants to step forward,” said Reed, whose Democratic challengers so far come from sections of the Finger Lakes region not in Reed’s current 29th District.
The new 23rd District splits Ontario County pretty much in half, with the eastern half in the 23rd and the western half in the 27th. There, Democrat Kathy Hochul is seeking reelection.
Those running in the primary are attorney Melissa Dobson of Owego, Tioga County; Ithaca attorney Leslie Danks Burke and Nate Shinagawa, vice chairman of the Tompkins County Legislature.
John Hurley of Victor, chairman of the Ontario County Democratic Committee, said the committee plans to meet all the candidates at a meeting in May and decide then whether to make an endorsement.
“I think the fact that we have multiple candidates vying for the opportunity to run against Tom Reed in the fall speaks volumes about his record of standing behind the policies” of Republican leaders, “instead of standing up for the voters in his district,” said Hurley.
