The 2014 candidates for 23rd Congressional District of New York: Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) and challenger Martha Robertson (D-Ithaca).
CORNING – Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress says he had no knowledge that a member of the Republican party had been circulating petitions in the 23rd Congressional district on behalf of candidates who have no desire to run.
Earlier this month, WRFA reported that a registered Republican Aaron Andrew Keister was behind an attempt to put Corning resident Darin Robbins, along with another individual, on the ballot as a Green Party candidate for Congress.
The story was first broke by Mother Jones news outlet, which also said that Keister is a notary public who has worked as a video tracker for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) – the political committee dedicated to electing Republicans to the House. Congressman Tom Reed (NY-23, R-Corning) currently serves as the Northeast regional chairman of the NRCC.
On May 5, WRFA asked Reed if he was aware that Keister was circulating petitions without first asking permission from the Green Party. Reed said that he was unaware and that he and his campaign have only focused on running as a candidate for the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties.
“I saw these reports, obviously, (and) did not know what was going on with the Green Party petition,” Reed explained. “I focused on the Republican, the Independence and the Conservative line. We had over 300 volunteers that were out there working to secure those lines. I saw the report and I can’t offer anything other than what we do know, and that is to focus with those volunteers in getting on the Republican, Independence and Conservative lines.”
According to a report from Mother Jones, Robbins had no plans to seek office and says he was shocked to learn that a petition had been filed in his name to run against Reed and Democratic and Working Families Candidate Martha Robertson.
According to the report, Keister was successful in collecting 75 signatures to support Robbins and a second candidate. However, he filed the Robbins petition late and got a second Green Party member’s address wrong, so neither unwitting candidate will appear on the ballot for the June primary or the November general election.
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