Corning Mayor Tom Reed, a Republican, is expected to announce his candidacy today in Pittsford, 16 months before the 2010 election.

He would be challenging Rep. Eric Massa, D-Corning, who narrowly won in 2008 and narrowly lost in 2006.

Massa, a freshman, won the seat after years of Republican representation. Republicans think with their enrollment advantage — they count 43 percent of active voters, to Democrats’ 31 percent — they can take it back.

Reed announced recently that he won’t run for re-election as mayor this year because he is considering another possible public service opportunity.

Rochester businessman Arnold Rothschild said Reed will talk about his congressional plans today.

Rothschild’s Normal Communications put out a news release indicating Reed will appear in Pittsford, Corning and Olean today to talk about his plans.

The 29th District is based in the Southern Tier but includes parts of Brighton, Gates, Chili, Penfield and Perinton and all of Pittsford, Rush, Mendon and Henrietta.

Massa, who also lives in Corning, defeated the incumbent, Republican Randy Kuhl Jr. of Hammondsport, last November, with 51 percent of the vote.

Reed is in the second year of his first term as mayor after defeating Democrat Frank Coccho in the 2007 election.

Source: Democrat & Chronicle