In the House - House Election News - Georgia On My Mind
Mar 04, 2010
The Peach State
UPDATE - Rep. Massa (D - NY) Quitting on March 8
BREAKING – Rep. Massa (D - NY) Retiring
In a move that took political junkies by surprise, upstate New York Democratic Rep. Eric Massa announced yesterday that he will not run for reelection. Massa won a narrow victory over Republican incumbent Randy Kuhl in 2008, after losing narrowly in 2006. Before Kuhl, the seat had been held for decades by the Republican Amo Houghton. Massa was facing a tough reelection fight already, but now that he is out, this race, which nobody saw coming, immediately jumps into the “toss-up” category and will likely be a top priority for both parties.
The reason for Massa’s sudden retirement is unclear. Initial reports cited a health issue, Massa survived a bout with cancer before running for Congress, so that is certainly plausible. The inside-the-beltway Politico newspaper has quite a different story. They claim, based on unnamed sources, that Massa, who is married with two children, was about to be accused of sexually harassing a male staffer. At a press conference this afternoon, Massa acknowledged the allegations and admitted to using “salty” language, but called them “unsubstantiated” and reiterated that he was motivated by his health.
Whatever Massa’s reasons for retiring, Republicans now see New York’s 29th congressional district as a top pick–up opportunity.