I was at the press conference yesterday to see who was there. It’s funny how I knew more of the media people than I did the people that were there to see Congressman Reynolds. I did run into my friend George Maziarz and spoke with him for a short time. He is seriously thinking about this seat. I like George, he has been a true ally in the fight to eliminate the tolls and sponsored the legislation in the senate.

WBEN 930 : The GOP After Tom Reynolds: Now What?

Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - Now that Cong. Tom Reynolds has announced his retirement, what happens to the seat that Republicans have held for 10 years ?

Reynolds, during his announcement Thursday, sought to put discussion to bed, at one point banging his podium and saying “This is a Republican district and it will again be represented by a Republican next year.”

But nationwide, the GOP faces enough open seats to encourage Democrats, and Reynolds’s announcement only bolstered the optimism some of them already had.

“The fact that this is an open seat now is obviously going to put a national spotlight on this race that it didn’t have before,” says Alice Kryzan, one of at least 2 Democrats running for the seat.

Even before Reynolds decided to retire, Kryzan, an attorney, and schoolteacher John Powers announced their candidacy. Former candidate Jack Davis, an Akron businessman who ran twice before against Reynolds, is also laying the groundwork for a campaign.

State Senator George Maziarz (l) says he will discuss the race with his family this weekend, and is likely to make a decision on whether to run shortly. Assemblyman Jim Hayes of Amherst (center) and Assemblyman Daniel Burling of Alexander (r) are also reportedly interested in running. Republican candidates are likely to start meetings with the 7 county Republican chairmen in the coming weeks.

“It’s only March,” says Nicholas Langworthy, a former Reynolds campaign manager who serves as the day-to-day executive director of the Erie County Republican party.