Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Mark Assini won't run again this year for Congress against Louise Slaughter

Despite widespread speculation that Gates Town Supervisor Mark Assini would challenge Democratic Incumbent Congresswoman Louise Slaughter again this fall, Assini announced Wednesday evening that he will not be a candidate.

The Republican supervisor says he changed his mind after learning the Monroe County Conservative Party would not be endorsing him. That party will instead back local neurosurgeon Dr. James Maxwell who recently announced  he will seek the GOP nomination in the 25th district against Slaughter, who has held the seat since 1987.

The 58 year old Assini lost a close race against Slaughter four years ago, and he lost by a larger margin when he ran again in 2016.

Monroe County Democratic Chairwoman Jamie Romeo released a statement that said “people in the district know they have no bigger champion than Louise Slaughter,” and said that voters will have a clear choice this year to either vote for the Trump agenda or Slaughter, who Romeo calls “a tough fighter” who gets things done for her neighbors.

The 88 year old Slaughter has not yet formally kicked off her re-election campaign.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.