Until Massa's resignation, the Reed campaign was issuing a steady stream of press releases. I've been looking for Reed's take on the resignation, but I haven't heard anything from his normally very communicative campaign.
I think this Politico story gives a reason why. Maggie Brooks has been meeting with the NRCC and Chris Lee (R-NY-26). I assume Reed is being dutifully quiet until Brooks decides what to do.
I stand by my view that Reed's a better candidate than Brooks for the 29th. But, for the party, Brooks is a better candidate.
I'll bet that the scenario they're looking at is a 2012 redistricting that would give Lee a seat that includes the Southern Tier, and Maggie a seat that includes Rochester. She'd be an incumbent. with the best chance to win in a district which would inevitably have a pretty high Democratic registration advantage.
The question that remains is what Tom Reed gets out of the deal.
Comments
Won't matter. Monday will provide a completely new dynamic to the race. Both the Republicans and Democrats are out of this one. Rottenchester... you will be one of the first to receive the press release, if my sources are right.
Working Families Party is going to run someone?
(Kidding)
No, if I am correct, we will see a no-name independent rise up out of the southern tier. Rumor has it that there is a young man from Cuba, NY who formed an exploratory committee. He believes in America, not politics. I heard he was invited to Washington and that the republican chairs shut him down simply because he does not have the "roots" that Tom Reed does.
If the Republican chairs shot him down, he's out, because they do the picking. Unless he's going to run on the Conservative or Independence lines.
I say, let's indeed have a determined and inspiring independent candidate---though it may need to be someone with the name i.d. of, say, Mark Assini? Particularly witha special election, it will turn on GOTV and an organized independent could make a real impact.
Mark Assini an independent candidate? When he ran against Randy for the nomination the first time he made himself out to be to the right of Rush Limbaugh and Genghis Kahn abd Randy was a Ted Kennedy clone.