John Faso announces run for Congress

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

John Faso during a gubernatorial debate in 2006.

Former state assemblyman and one-time gubernatorial candidate John Faso is running for Congress, he announced this morning from his home in Kinderhook.

The Republican will seek the seat of Congressman Chris Gibson, also a Republican from Kinderhook, who announced in January that he would not seek a fourth term representing New York’s 19th Congressional District when his term expires next year.

In a campaign video released Monday, Faso said he’s running to help “restore the American dream” for Upstate New York families.

“For too many families today in Upstate New York, they’re being forced to leave because the jobs and the opportunities have left us,” he said. “That’s what we’ve got to change, that’s what we’ve got to fix.”

Faso was the Republican candidate for governor in 2006, but lost by a large margin to Democrat Eliot Spitzer. He served in the state Assembly from 1987 until 2002, the last four years as Republican Minority Leader.

He is the first to announce a run for Gibson’s seat.

State Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, announced Monday that he would not run, saying, “my standing as a senior member of the state Senate majority enables me to better serve my district.”

Republican Assemblyman Pete Lopez, R-Schoharie, has also expressed interest in Gibson’s seat, but said Sunday he is not yet ready to make an official announcement.

“I think the biggest issue, which is still the priority, is my job in the state Assembly and meeting my current obligations,” Lopez said. “Ultimately, the goal will be to make sure we have all of the pieces in place to run a competitive race in a lot of counties and be ready to face a primary.”

The 19th Congressional District in the House of Representatives covers 11 counties including Sullivan, Ulster, Delaware, Otsego, Greene, Columbia and Schoharie, as well as parts of Dutchess, Rensselaer and Montgomery counties.

Gibson said earlier this year that he is considering a run for statewide office in 2018, though he has not since elaborated. He is stepping down from the 19th District because he believes all members of the House should be limited to two four-year terms rather than unlimited two-year terms.