Politics

Trump Endorses Republican Rep. Tom Reed Of New York For Congress

Official portrait of President Donald J. Trump, Friday, October 6, 2017. (Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead)

President Donald Trump announced his endorsement of Republican Rep. Tom Reed for New York’s 23rd Congressional District via Twitter Monday morning.

“Congressman Tom Reed of New York’s 23rd District has done a great job,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “He has my complete and total Endorsement!”

Congressman Tom Reed of New York’s 23rd District has done a great job. He has my complete and total Endorsement!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2018

Reed has been in the House of Representatives since 2010 and will face off against Democratic challenger Tracy Mitrano in November. Rasmussen rates the race as strongly Republican.

Reed is the Republican chair of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, founded in 2017. The group offered some health care proposals in 2017 and counts Democratic Arizona Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, Democratic Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran and New Jersey Republican Rep. Leonard Lance as members.

Reed threw his support behind Trump early in the 2016 presidential election and was complimented by Trump on Twitter earlier in October.

“Thank you to Congressman Tom Reed of New York for your wonderful comments on our great new Trade Deal with Mexico and Canada, the USMCA,” Trump wrote Oct. 3. “I have long ago given you my Full Endorsement, and for good reason. Keep up the Great Work!”

Thank you to Congressman Tom Reed of New York for your wonderful comments on our great new Trade Deal with Mexico and Canada, the USMCA. I have long ago given you my Full Endorsement, and for good reason. Keep up the Great Work! @Varneyco

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2018

Reed had discussed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on Fox Business on Oct. 1.

“This is about getting our house in order with our family and friends in Mexico, Canada and the EU, then we’ll take on China,” Reed said according to Ithaca.com. “We’re going to have to deal with this short term injection of cash in order to stand with our farmers, especially our dairy farmers who I care deeply about here in Western New York.”

Reed’s district borders Pennsylvania and contains multiple “pivot counties,” or areas that voted for former President Barack Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016, according to Ballotpedia. Reed is a lawyer who was the mayor of Corning, New York, from 2007 to 2010.

Reed’s challenger Mitrano is a lawyer and specializes in cybersecurity. She has attacked him as one of the “Washington insiders” beholden to special interest donors.

Reed has been on the House Ways and Means Committee since 2011.

Reed’s campaign manager did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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