Via RochesterTurning...from From Syracuse.com

Democrat Dan Maffei on Thursday formally announced he was ready for a rematch against Republican Rep. Jim Walsh by filing paperwork needed to raise money for an election that's more than a year and a half away.

This is the same Jim Walsh who famously insulted the voters of Syracuse after he lost the city in 2006:

"I was very disappointed in the people of the city," Walsh said. "I've worked harder in the city of Syracuse than I have in any other part of the district. I have given my heart and soul to that city. And I'll continue to do that, but I've got a little hole in my heart."

The Post-Standard reports this morning:

Dan Gage, Walsh's spokesman, said he was not impressed by Maffei's early challenge.

"Mr. Maffei offers nothing other than blind ambition," Gage said. "Clearly, the premature timing of his announcement suggests he is motivated purely by his own self-interest, not Central New York's. People are sick and tired of campaigning, and nobody likes a rerun."

Well, actually I am sick and tired of the endless campaign and think it can ultimately come to no good, but I so enjoyed watching little Jimmy sweat it out last time, so this time should be double the fun.  Tally-HOOOOOOO!

Good job to the folks from the Syracuse and Rochester areas on a close race.  We didn't win, but beating a legacy is never easy.

Via RochesterTurning...There's a new poll in the NY-25 race. It shows Republican incumbent Jim Walsh at 44% and Democratic challenger Dan Maffei at 40%.  That's very good for Maffei, who only has 37% name recognition, according to the poll (Walsh had 87% name recognition in the poll -- everyone in the Syracuse area must know who he is, because my impression is that most people in Irondequoit and Pennfield still think Louise Slaughter is their rep).

The poll is an internal poll run by the Maffei campaign, so of course take it with a grain of salt.  It was done by the Benson strategy group, which is a very respected liberal polling group, though, so it definitely means something.  It looks like we've got a race on our hands in NY-25, something I would not have predicted a month ago.

Walsh Watch has more.

Via RochesterTurning....

So, during my first class back to Tae Kwon Do after a 5 month foot injury, I slipped and broke my wrist.  As is often the case with stubborn men, I waited till the morning to see if I was still in agony before going to the emergency room.  As my luck would have it, I was still quite broken.

So on a Wednesday, August Ninth as I was driving to visit the doctor and get a stylish black cast wrapped around on my hand.  I flipped NPR on and who did I hear on 1370 Connection, but the man with no plan himself, Congressman Jim Walsh.

So with my right hand elevated, my left hand on the wheel and a cell phone wedged between my ear and shoulder, I called up to ask a simple question... Why did you vote for the minimum wage hike before you voted against it?  You see, Jim Walsh recently voted yes on the House Appropriations committee to send a vote on a minimum wage hike to the floor, but when it arrived he voted against it!

For those of you from New York state, or anywhere else, for that matter, with an interest in the possibilities here in the 25th Congressional District of NY, the good news is: we will actually have a Democratic candidate this year, unlike  2004, when James Walsh ran with token opposition from the local Green Party, and no Democratic opponent.