Plumb Receives Endorsement of Former Congressman, Receives Promotion

John Plumb

JAMESTOWN – Candidate for Congress John Plumb (D-Lakewood) has picked up an endorsement from a former member of Congress who served the Chautauqua Region area.

Former Congressman, Lt. Governor, and Mayor of Jamestown Stan Lundine announced Tuesday his endorsement of Plumb for Congress in New York’s 23^rd district.

In endorsing Plumb, Lundine said that his military experience and strong roots in the Southern Tier will make him an excellent and independent advocate for the entire region.

“I’m excited about John Plumb’s candidacy for Congress.”” said Mr. Lundine. “I believe he will serve with the honor and integrity that has been ingrained in him through over two decades of service as a U.S. Navy Officer. And as a candidate from the Jamestown area, I think he is exceptionally well-qualified to represent the hardworking men and women that live in rural communities all along the Southern Tier.”

In other news from Tuesday, Plumb will no longer be holding the title of “Commander” John Plumb.  During a ceremony Tuesday night in his hometown of Randolph, Plumb was promoted to the rank of “Captain.” Captain in the Navy is the equivalent of a Colonel in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps and is the same rank that Sen John McCain achieved.

The promotion was conducted during a ceremony last night at the Randolph American Legion by Rear Admiral John Mustin, one of Plumb’s colleagues and a fellow submarine officer.

Plumb is challenging Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) for his seat in the 2016 general election. Over the past two decades he’s served as a submarine officer in the Navy and later as an official at the Department of Defense. Most recently he’s served as director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council. He graduated from Randolph High School in 1988.

Reed is an attorney and former mayor of Corning who was elected to Congress in 2010 and has represented Chautauqua County since January 2013, when redistricting created the new boundaries for the state’s 23^rd congressional district.