Wampum

The resignation of Eric Massa creates an open race in the district just west of Ithaca. Rep. Massa had come around to viewing the tobacco taxation issue, that is, the State's claims that it could tax economic activity on the Seneca Reservation, as contrary to public policy. A good thing in a Representative.

In the 2008 race, John R Kuhl Jr (R) raised $1,500,000, picking up 49% of the vote, to Eric Massa's $2,151,657, picking up 51% of the vote. Act Blue accounted for 17% of what Eric Massa's team raised. The DCC accounted for less than 1%. On the other side of the dial, Corning Glass alone accounted for 5% of John Kuhl's take. The district went the other way at the top of the ticket, with John McCain and Sarah Palin picking up 51% to Barack Obama and Joe Biden's 48%.

Corning Mayor Tom Reed has picked up seven of the eight county GOP chairmen in the 29th District, and John Kuhl's responsive statement left open the possibility that he would contest the election.

So who are the Dees?

• Monroe County Exeucutive Maggie Brooks,
  
• state Senator Cathy Young,
  
• David Koon, D-Perinton,
  
• Assemblyman Brian Kolb, D-Canandaigua
  
• Assemblywoman Susan V. John, D-Rochester,
  
• Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, D-Ithaca,
  
• Elmira Mayor John Tonello,
  
• Assemblyman David Koon, D-Perinton,
  
• Brighton Town Supervisor Sandra Frankel,
  
• Hornell Mayor Shawn Hogan
  

And there's an outsider, David Nachbar, a senior executive at Bausch and Lomb, who ran against Eric Massa in 2007. He has money and the primary will be won by a mere plurality, under 25% of the vote, if even half the field remain on the ballot and run active, competent campaigns.