Will Tom Reynolds (R-NY) Retire?

[babylonsister]

http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1078

NY-26: Will Tom Reynolds Retire?
by: James L.
Sat Nov 17, 2007 at 1:18 AM EST

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.