Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)
CORNING – It appears Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) is continuing to ride the wave of his successful reelection campaign in 2016.
The Corning Republican’s campaign announced this week that Reed raised a record amount of fundraising during the first quarter of 2017 (January through March), pulling in more than $585,000.
Tom Reed for Congress political director Nicholas Weinstein said that more 75 percent of Reed’s donations came from individuals.
“It represents the support for Tom’s common sense agenda,” Weinstein said via an e-newsletter Tom Reed for Congress subscribers. “A strong start like this after another decisive re-election victory in November gives us the resources to continue highlighting Tom’s record of caring, practical leadership. We are off to our best start ever with more than a half-million dollars in the bank and increased engagement from our supporters.”
Earlier this year Reed held a series of Town Hall meetings – including two in Chautauqua County – that involved dozens of constituents showing up and voicing their concerns over federal policy that Reed supported, including the repeal and replacement of Obamacare and the curtailing of environmental regulations. The Reed campaign used that as an opportunity to solicit funds from its supporters and in an email on Feb. 21, the campaign stated that many of those concerns brought forward were the result of “liberal extremists who tried to stop us from having an honest conversation about the issues facing our country and district.” The campaign went on to request a contribution from supporters, stating the money would “help us fight back and show the Ithaca and the Washington Democrats that their destructive tactics aren’t going to work here in the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes and Western New York.”
Reed has stated in the past that he intends to serve a maximum of 12 years in Congress, or a total of 12 terms. He was first elected to the House in 2010, so it’s more than likely he will run for reelection in 2018 – even thought that election is still more than a year-and-a-half-away.
The official campaign finance numbers will be posted in the coming days on http://www.fec.gov.
A review of the donor list calls into question who Reed’s supporters actually are, as just $68,715 (or 12%) came from 48 people actually living in NY23. We need a representative that actually speaks for the district, and next election we will get one.
It would also be great to report on the facts rather than just regurgitating his press release.
This isn’t a “regurgitated press release”… But thanks for commenting. It is appreciated.
88% of his donations came from outside his district. Only 48 constituents are supporting his campaign. Follow the money to find out who he serves. After all, he said at a recent town hall that he “only listens to the silent majority.” Since he isn’t psychic, that must mean that money talks, although silently.
This IS a regurgitation of his press release. You have written what REED wants us to believe, without doing your job, which is to provide the public with a truer, fuller picture. Only 12% from within his district is crucial information. He is NOT supported any more by the voters, and we are smart enough to resist the flood of misinformation that outside money will buy.
We need a representative for US, not that 88% of outside money.