Two elections in New York's 29th district were held on November 2, 2010. The candidates vied to replace Eric Massa, who resigned the seat on March 8, 2010, as a result of health issues and allegations of sexual harassment.
The
Governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
called for a
special election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections.
A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
to be held simultaneously with the general election on the same day, with the special election determining who would complete the remainder of Massa's unexpired term in the
111th United States Congress
The 111th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. It began during the last weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with t ...
(from November 2010 to January 2011) and the general election determining who would serve in the
112th United States Congress
The 112th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2011, and ended on January 3, 2013, 17 ...
Corning, New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,551 at the 2020 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company th ...
, defeated Democrat Matthew Zeller and write-in candidate Janice Volk.
Background
Democrat Eric J. Massa won this district by 1.8 percentage points in 2008 over then-two-term incumbent John "Randy" Kuhl. The district leaned Republican ( CPVI R+5), supported
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
over
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
in the 2008 presidential election by a 51–48 margin, and—accounting for redistricting—had been held by a Republicans for almost a century, except for Democrat Stan Lundine's time representing the area in the 1970s and 1980s. At the time of his resignation, Massa had raised over $600,000 in campaign funds.Miller, Rick (March 5, 2010) Democrats left surprised, GOP sees opening Olean Times Herald. The NRCC targeted Massa for voting in favor of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act.Benjamin, Elizabeth NRCC Hits NY Dems On Stimulus . New York Daily News. February 12, 2009.
On March 3, 2010, following allegations of sexual harassment and reports that he had suffered a recurrence of cancer, Massa announced that he would retire at the end of his term. Massa later announced his resignation effective March 8.
On April 23, 2010, Steuben County Republican chairman Bill Hatch announced that he would file a lawsuit that, if successful, would force Governor
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson (born May 20, 1954) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 55th governor of New York, succeeding Eliot Spitzer, who resigned, and serving out nearly three years of Spitzer's term from March 2008 to ...
to acknowledge the vacancy and call a special election in the immediate future. Clause I.2.4 of the U.S. Constitution requires the governor of a state to issue a "writ of election" for any congressional vacancy. The judge hearing the case denied a motion from the Paterson administration to dismiss the lawsuit on May 13.
On May 12, 2010, Paterson announced that he would set the special election for November 2, 2010, and would not issue the required writ of election until October. Paterson's decision resulted in the general election and the special election occurring on the same day, with the winner of the special election serving until January 2011 and the winner of the general election serving from January 2011 until 2013. Furthermore, the redundant election complicated the primary election process; it was theoretically possible for either Reed or Zeller to be defeated in the primary election in mid-September, but to then remain on the ballot for the special election. In addition, state law dictates that special elections cannot be held for vacancies acknowledged after July 1, except in special circumstances. Following the announcement, Angelo Campini, who was challenging Reed in the primary election, stated that he would consider joining the lawsuit or filing one of his own over the date of the election if it resulted in him being pushed off the ballot.
Judge David Larimer issued a ruling in the case on June 4, 2010, officially acknowledging the vacancy but declining to compel Paterson to call a special election before November 2. The plaintiffs considered an appeal, but decided against it.
Candidates
Democratic party
The Democratic Party chose Matthew Zeller, a 28-year-old CIA analyst who had not lived in New York since he had left for war, as their candidate. Zeller was an ROTC-trained Army officer who served in Afghanistan and holds master's degrees in international relations and public administration.
Nominee
*Matthew Zeller, former CIA analyst and Afghanistan veteran
Not running
*
John Batiste
John Robinson Batiste (born October 7, 1952, in Fairfax County, Virginia) is a retired officer of the United States Army, author, and the co-founder of Batiste Leadership.
Military career
John Batiste was commissioned as an infantry officer fro ...
Brighton
Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
, former lieutenant governor candidate
*Mike Green, Monroe County District Attorney
*Shawn Hogan, mayor of Hornell
*
David Koon
David R. Koon (born March 18, 1947) is a former American Democratic politician who represented District 135 in the New York State Assembly, which includes the towns and villages of East Rochester, Penfield and Webster, and Fairport, neighbo ...
, assemblyman
*
Barbara Lifton
Barbara S. Lifton (born November 26, 1950) is a former Democratic member of the New York State Assembly representing Assembly District 125, which includes Tompkins County in its entirety, as well as the City of Cortland and towns of Cortland ...
, assemblywoman from Ithaca
*Michael McCormick, former Allegany County legislator, instead ran for State Senate and lost
*David Nachbar, Massa's 2008 primary opponent, Bausch & Lomb executive (speculated), instead ran for Assembly and lost to
Sean Hanna
Sean T. Hanna (born December 31, 1961) is an American politician who represented the 130th district in the New York State Assembly from 2011 to 2012. His district included portions of Livingston, Monroe and Ontario Counties.
Shortly after gra ...
*Ellen Polimeni, mayor of Canandaigua
*David Rose, teacher in the Henrietta-Rush School District
*John Tonello, mayor of Elmira (speculated)
*Mary Wilmot, regional director for the Paterson administration, heir to the
Wilmorite
Wilmorite Properties, Inc is a commercial real estate company based in Chili, New York, a suburb of Rochester, New York.
A subsidiary of the company owes significant back taxes and fees to the City of Rochester resulting from a loan and tax ag ...
*Angelo Campini, pizza shop owner from Henrietta Zremski, Jerry (April 21, 2010) House in disrepute but area incumbents have little to fear The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2010-04-21. Failed to deliver petitions to get onto the primary ballot. After proposing a write-in campaign, Campini bowed out on September 30, 2010, endorsing Reed.
*Janice Volk, Cuba resident, alpaca farmer and black conservative community activist Submitted 1,400 signatures to secure primary ballot, but those petitions were challenged. Though Volk later announced plans to seek a third-party line, she was unable to do so. Volk remained in the race through a write-in campaign.
*Maggie Brooks, county executive of Monroe County
*
Brian Kolb
Brian M. Kolb (born August 14, 1952) is an American politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 131st district from 2000 to 2021. Kolb also served as minority leader from 2009 to 2020.
Early life and education
Kolb ...
, Minority Leader of the New York State Assembly
* Randy Kuhl, former congressman and state senator
* Catharine Young, state senator
Working Families Party
The Working Families Party (WFP) is a progressive minor political party in the United States, founded in New York in 1998. There are active chapters in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois ...
*Matthew Zeller, Democratic nominee
Campaign fundraising
At the time of Massa's resignation, the lone announced candidate, Tom Reed, had approximately $120,000 cash on hand. According to Reed, "in our last report, we raised $233,000."
As of the first quarter of 2010, Reed has raised $481,879 and had $287,222 cash on hand.
As of July 2010, Volk had not yet raised enough funds to need to file with the
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency of the United States government that enforces U.S. campaign finance laws and oversees U.S. federal elections. Created in 1974 through amendments to the Federal Election Campaign ...
, which would indicate less than $5,000 in fundraising and/or spending. Reed raised $686,449 by that point, approximately $100,000 from his own account, while Zeller had raised $137,885.
As of September 2010, Reed had raised $809,464 and had $361,315 in cash on hand. Zeller raised $232,425 and had $50,418 in cash on hand.
With Reed heavily favored, he donated $75,000 of his campaign money to the
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is the United States Republican Party, Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives.
The NRCC was formed in 1866, when the Repub ...
and the New York Senate Republican Committee less than one week before the election.
Endorsements
Tom Reed
*
James Alesi
James S. "Jim" Alesi (born 1948) is a retired politician who served as New York State Senator for the 55th district, representing parts of Monroe County from 1997 to 2012. A Republican, Alesi previously served in the Monroe County Legislatur ...
, state senator
* James Bacalles, assemblyman and former mayor of Corning
* Amo Houghton, former representative
* Randy Kuhl, former representative
*
Bill Paxon
Leon William Paxon (born April 29, 1954) is an American lobbyist and former member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. From 1989 to 1999, he served five terms in Congress.
Early life
Paxon was born in Akron, New Yo ...
The Buffalo News
''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York.
It was for decades the only paper fully owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. On January 29, 2020, th ...
*
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is a healthcare union in the United States, with a membership of 400,000, including retirees. It is a local union within the Service Employees International Union. It is a former local of 1199: The National ...
*Finger Lakes Times (Geneva, NY)
Janice Volk
*Jim Ostrowski, 1994 Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidate and WNY Tea Party Coalition Co-founder
*Amy McManus/Amy Mikolajczyk, talk show host on
WLEA
WLEA (1480 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Hornell, New York, United States, the station serves the Canisteo Valley area, and is a part of the Elmira Corning Radio Market The station is currently owned by Daw ...
out of Hornell, NY and future Hornell city council candidate
*David Chamberlain, Village of Cuba, NY Mayor (1990–1995)
Polling
Results
Reed won both elections by margins of 56%-44%. Reed, for the first time since Amo Houghton in 2002, won every county in the district. However, he lost his home city of Corning, as well as the city of Hornell. All write-ins, including (but not exclusively) Volk's, totaled 527 votes for the general and 510 for the special, less than 0.3% of the vote.
Project Vote Smart
Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is an American non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. It covers candidates and elected offic ...
CQ Politics
''Congressional Quarterly'', or ''CQ'', is an American publication that is part of the privately owned publishing company CQ Roll Call, which covers the United States Congress. ''CQ'' was formerly acquired by the U.K.-based The Economist Group, ...
OpenSecrets
OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying, including a revolving door database which documents the individuals who have worked in both the public sector an ...
The New York Times
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