More on Reynolds
BuffaloPundit has decided to take the day off from blogging and spend a little downtime getting ready for the holiday weekend. He asked me (BuffaloGeek) to keep you all entertained in his absence…Yesterday, WNYMedia.net was at the Tom Reynolds Resignation press conference and captured the following on video.
Reynolds announcing his resignation and detailing some of the reasons for his retirement from public service:
Reynolds answering questions regarding two scandals that have plagued him during the last two years:
I was struck by two things at the press conference; Reynolds’ incredible arrogance as it pertains to his “teflon” status as a Congressman and the lack of other Republicans by his side at such an important event. Expected candidate and NY State Sen. George Maziarz was in attendance as was Niagara County GOP Chairman Henry Wojtaszek. I was surprised to not see other local Repubs like Chris Collins, Jim Domagalski, or Mike Failenhofer in attendance. I think that says a lot about where Reynolds finds himself at this point in his career. I was also surprised to not see his litany of supporters in attendance…
Reynolds believes NY-26 will stay a Republican seat and he may have just injected enough chaos into the race to make that a reality. Maziarz will bring a sizable vote swing from Niagara County with him and the rural parts of the district are staunchly Republican. This makes Erie County and the Rochester area that much more important for the Democrats as they fight to take over the seat. Positioning Jon Powers as new blood and a candidate for change as opposed to a tenured member of the do-nothing state senate would seem to be enough to sway the voters, but this is Western New York…and the problem is never “our guy” in Albany, it’s the “other guys”, right?
Russell Says:March 21st, 2008 at 11:52 am
Don’t be so sure Powers is going to be the Democratic candidate. It wouldn’t surprise me if a few other Dems throw their hats into the ring now that it’s an open seat. It’s a whole different ballgame now.
Mr. Pink Says:March 21st, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I live in Niagara County and have voted for Maziarz every time and can’t wait to vote for him for Congress. He has done a ton for our community and will be great advocate for WNY. Congress is serious business, not the right spot for on the job training, no matter how much one respects someone who has served in the military.
This is about being an advocate for the region and there is no better person than George Maziarz.
Dave A. Says:March 21st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I’d be surprised to see George run in a different district. He’s built up a lot of goodwill in his own Senate district - people love him up here - but I don’t think it would translate into votes outside of his home turf.
Administrator Says:March 21st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Powers is getting pinched in a lot of directions right now. Kryzan, while not especially credible outside of Erie County is doing well at fundraising, Davis is threatening to spend $3MM on the election, and now the Republicans throwing this ball up for grabs makes it a tough race.
I’d be surprised to see other Dems get involved at this point with an established frontrunner and a kook with $3MM threatening to get in the race.
steve Says:March 21st, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Most of Maziarz’ state senate district is in the congressional district now held by Reynolds. It wouldn’t be a stretch at all for him to simply move back to his hometown of North Tonawanda and reside in the district.
Jim Ostrowski Says:March 22nd, 2008 at 9:49 am
“I live in Niagara County and have voted for Maziarz every time and can’t wait to vote for him for Congress. He has done a ton for our community and will be great advocate for WNY. Congress is serious business, not the right spot for on the job training, no matter how much one respects someone who has served in the military.”
I missed that. What has he done? Niagara County has the highest property taxes in the whole damn country.
What was his position on the Iraq War? What is his position on the entire disaster of the Bush Presidency (war, debt, inflation, out of control spending) which I am sure he supported twice?
hank kaczmarek Says:March 22nd, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Jim
Bush isn’t running. So what does it matter? He wasn’t there to do anything about it one way or the other. So what he does say isn’t relevant.
Perhaps you’d feel more comfortable living in Ron Paul’s district. Where the rep. never votes for pork, but somehow his district finds plenty of pork arriving from Washington DC.
Jim Ostrowski Says:March 23rd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Hank, you just showed your naiveté about how politics works. It’s a machine Hank and it knows no boundaries and different levels and branches of government are a schoolboy illusion. I’ve been trying to tell you that for two years now. When I ran against the machine for state assemblyman in 1978, and almost beat the bastards, they brought in people from all over the state to beat me. They even had a slime ball assemblyman from the Bronx named Sean Walsh campaigning on my street.
Maziarz supported Bush’s rise to power, I’m sure. Bush is one of the worst presidents we’ve ever had, and that’s against some very stiff competition. If Maziarz wants to be in Congress, let him answer for his prior actions. Where was he on the war, on the debt, on the dumb no child’s behind left law, the Marxist drug benefit, and the lack of defense of NYC on 9/11. George, we want answers if you want to join the big leagues.
Jim Ostrowski Says:March 23rd, 2008 at 10:48 am
As for Paul and pork, you continually make an ass out of yourself by mindlessly repeating neocon propaganda. Ron Paul has by far the best pro-taxpayer voting record since Grover Cleveland’s era.