Eric Massa

Eric James Joseph Massa (born September 16, 1959) is a former American politician who served as a U.S. representative for New York's 29th congressional district. A Democrat, he served in Congress from January 2009 until his resignation in March 2010.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2006

In 2006, Massa ran for Congress in New York's 29th congressional district on the strength of his military background. On election night, incumbent Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl led Massa by a 52%-48% margin. Massa requested a recount and an accounting of absentee ballots because 6,000 votes separated the two and 10,000 were left to be counted. After a week of waiting, the ballots were approximately even and Congressman Kuhl was re-elected. Massa conceded the election with a telephone call to Congressman Kuhl.

2008

Almost immediately after conceding defeat in 2006, Massa prepared for a rematch against Kuhl in 2008. The race remained tight through the campaign; however, Massa emerged victorious, defeating Kuhl 51% to 49% (a margin of approximately 4000 votes), although Kuhl did not immediately concede defeat. All voting machines were impounded at Kuhl's request (pending a re-count), with 12,000 absentee ballots to be counted. Some press reports attributed Massa's victory to the plurality he attained among voters in Cattaraugus County, which voted for Kuhl in 2004 and 2006.

During the 2009 Netroots Nation convention held in Pittsburgh, Massa told a group of activists that he "will vote adamantly against the interests of my district if I actually think what I am doing is going to be helpful" in regard to a single-payer health care system.

Massa later claimed that there was a conspiracy to remove him from Congress "because he had voted against overhauling health care."

In 2017, the New York Daily News reported that Congress had paid nearly $100,000 to settle the harassment claims made by two male staffers against Massa.

Electoral history

Committee assignments Committee on Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection