Rochester, N.Y. -- Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks was courted, and strongly considered it, but Friday she announced that a run for Congress in NY-29 is out of the question.
"At the end of the day it came down to some personal considerations, I don't live in the district, I would've had to move my family to represent the district, (and) at the end of two years this is a district that may not even exist after re-districting is complete," Brooks, a Webster resident said while not ruling out a congressional run at some point in the future. "I never close the door on opportunity absolutely I would never rule it out in the future."
With that the Republican Party rallies behind Tom Reed, the former Mayor of Corning who declared his candidacy last year not expecting a Massa resignation.
"We're going to be the Republican candidate," Reed said with confidence as recently as Monday. The party chairmen of all eight counties in the 29th Congressional District still have to formally nominate a candidate.
"Democrats aren't nearly as efficient and we don't close down selection process quite this quickly," Monroe County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Morelle said. Morelle says as many as ten potential candidates remain in the conversation.
"We haven't put any timelines on it,” Morelle said of the process. “We want people who think they have something to contribute to come forward and talk to us."
In 2008, Massa overcame an overwhelming disadvantage in voter registration to win as a Democrat in a district long known as a Republican stronghold. With that in mind, and Massa’s resigning amid scandal, Democrats know this is an uphill battle. Morelle also knows an un-expected victory could change the political landscape going into November.
"We want to continue to have a Democrat in the seat but look it's going to be a real challenge," Morelle said. He also added that Democratic leaders in Washington D.C. are watching this process unfold from afar. "I've spoken with the White House, communicated by email with the White House; they're obviously interested I mean everybody is interested. This is not a usual occurrence."
