Congressmen Collins, Reed facing the music in Finger Lakes region

Jan. 27--How happy -- or not -- are voters with their congressmen in the Finger Lakes region? The heavily Republican districts 23 and 27 are seeing plenty of action by Democrats eager to nominate strong candidates to defeat Tom Reed and Chris Collins this year. What's happening in Washington with a GOP majority Congress and President Donald Trump -- with issues from immigration to healthcare, environment and taxes -- has people fired up.

Addressing an usually tame crowd at a town hall meeting this week in Middlesex, Reed, the Republican from Corning representing the 23rd District, said "Ninety-nine percent of the people I work with in Washington are good people." That drew laughs from the group at the fire hall in the Yates County hamlet.

Since the 2016 presidential election, protesters have converged regularly outside Reed's office in Geneva over Trump policies and executive orders Reed largely supports. The refugee bans, treatment of undocumented immigrants, rollback of environmental regulations and the newly-passed tax overhaul are all hot-button issues.

At the town hall, when confronted about the pulling back of Environmental Protection Agency regulations, Reed said, "I do support the EPA, adding "the EPA has gone overboard."

On immigration, he said children who were brought to the country illegally should be offered a path to citizenship -- but not their parents. "There needs to be a penalty for the parents who brought them here," he said.

The 23rd -- which includes the eastern part of Ontario County (Geneva, Hopewell, Phelps, etc.) as well as Yates and Tompkins counties plus a swath of Southern Tier counties -- has seven Democrats hoping to gain the nomination to defeat Reed, who was first elected to Congress in 2010.

The most recent to announce is Linda Andrei, a retired cardiologist in Tompkins County. Others include Max Della Pia, Rick Gallant, Ian Golden, Tracy Mitrano, Eddie Sundquist and Charles Whalen. A previous candidate, Karl Warrington, a medical social worker and pastor, recently dropped out of the race and endorsed Mitrano.

Candidates must file with the New York State Board of Elections by April 12 for the primary election set for June 26. The general election is Nov. 6.

In a straw poll held recently in Geneva, Ithaca businessman Ian Golden took the top votes after candidates addressed a crowd of about 700 people, with 400 casting ballots. Each candidate shared their platform and updated their campaign activity before audience members were asked to vote their top-pick candidates most likely to defeat Reed.

"Tonight was a great sign that our movement is resonating with voters around the district," Golden stated at the event at the Smith Opera House. "Geneva is the perfect example of a city in our district whose current rebound could be undercut" by the recent tax bill, he said.

The massive $1.5 trillion bill approved in December slashes tax rates for big business and lower levies on the richest Americans, while containing smaller benefits for other taxpayers. The plan, championed by Republicans including Reed and Collins, drops the 35 percent tax rate on corporations to 21 percent. The legislation represented the first major legislative achievement for the GOP after nearly a full year in control of Congress and the White House. It's the widest-ranging reshaping of the tax code in three decades and is expected to add to the nation's $20 trillion debt. The debt is expected to soar by at least $1 trillion more than it would without the tax measure, according to projections.

In the 27th District, Collins acknowledged in November he was getting pressure from donors to support the tax bill. When questioned by a reporter, Collins said, "My donors are basically saying, 'Get it done or don't ever call me again.'"

According to Collins, the tax overhaul, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act "will provide tax relief to families across Western New York and spark business investment, hiring, and wage growth. Based upon census data, the average family in the 27th Congressional District will pay $1,875 less in taxes allowing them to keep more than $150 each month."

The 27th District includes several western New York counties, including Livingston, Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties and portions of Monroe, Erie, Niagara and the western part of Ontario County, including Canandaigua, Farmington and Victor.

In the 23rd district, Reed said the average taxpayer will see a $1,600 tax reduction. Reed said at this week's town hall employers are already reacting to the tax change, raising wages and bonuses. Collins, in a recent tweet, stated "as a result of the #TaxCutsandJobsAct being signed into law, @verizon has announced employees will receive 50 shares of restricted Verizon stock and they will increase their philanthropic work. Companies are taking action and changing the lives of everyday employees."

The first House member to endorse Trump for president, Collins provides plenty of fodder for opponents. One involves an ethics probe. In October, the House Ethics Committee extended its review of Collins, whose stock market trades prompted an advocacy group to request an investigation for possible violation of insider trading or conflict of interest. Advocacy groups said Collins sponsored legislation that could potentially benefit the company. Collins denied any wrongdoing.

The Turn 27 Blue Coalition fielding Democratic candidates to oppose Collins is behind forums to weight candidates and garner voter input. The next forum is scheduled for Feb. 1, at 6:30 pm. at SUNY Geneseo. Five candidates will answer questions from the audience: Sean Bunny, Tom Casey, Nate McMurray, Joan Elizabeth Seamans and Nicholas Stankevich.

"It's very exciting to have such a vibrant group of candidates ready to take on Chris Collins, who has made it clear that representing the constituents of the entire 27th district is not a very high priority," stated Judith Hunter, the Livingston County Democratic Committee chair and coordinator for the Turn 27 Blue Coalition.

"As a coalition of the eight county Democratic Chairs who are part of the 27th District, along with leaders of several large grassroots groups, we're committed to helping marshal the energy and excitement we see on the ground every day to win back Congress," stated Jamie Romeo, Monroe County Democratic chair.

About the incumbents

U.S. Rep. Chris Collins, R-Clarence, represents the 27th Congressional District. The 27th covers all of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston counties and parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara and Ontario counties. In Ontario County, it covers the towns of Bristol, South Bristol, Canadice, East Bloomfield, West Bloomfield, Farmington, Richmond, Victor, town and city of Canandaigua and the town of Naples west side of Route 21. Details: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/chris_collins/412563

U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, represents the 23rd Congressional District. The 23rd covers all of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins and Yates counties, and parts of Ontario and Tioga counties. In Ontario County, it covers the towns of Manchester, Hopewell, Phelps, Seneca, Gorham, Geneva and part of Naples, plus the city of Geneva. (The district covers the village of Naples and the town of Naples, east of Route 21.) Details: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/tom_reed/412393

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