New York's 23rd Congressional District elections, 2014

U.S. House, New York District 23 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Tom Reed Incumbent	61.7%	113,130
	Democratic	Martha Robertson	38.3%	70,242
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	109
Total Votes				183,481
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

2016 → ← 2012

New York's 23rd Congressional District

General Election Date November 4, 2014

Primary Date June 24, 2014

November 4 Election Winner: Tom Reed

Incumbent prior to election: Tom Reed

Race Ratings Cook Political Report: Likely R FairVote's Monopoly Politics: Lean R Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean R

New York U.S. House Elections District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27

2014 U.S. Senate Elections

2014 U.S. House Elections

The 23rd Congressional District of New York held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Rep. Tom Reed (R) defeated Martha Robertson (D) in the general election.

New York's 23rd Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014. The Cook Political Report rated the district as "Likely Republican." FairVote concurred, giving the district a rating of "Lean R." Previous elections likewise revealed a Republican lean to the district, with President Barack Obama (D) losing the district by 1.2 percent in 2012 and Rep. Reed (R) winning the district in the same year by a 3.6 percent margin of victory.

Although New York's 23rd was consistently rated Republican, Reed was viewed as a vulnerable incumbent. Some Republicans worried that Reed was not putting enough effort into his re-election campaign, especially since he won by such a small margin in 2012. While Reed received more money in campaign contributions than his Democratic challenger, Robertson raised significantly more money than most candidates in their first run for a national seat. Furthermore, Reed received the majority of his money from outside organizations and political action committees, whereas Robertson's contributions came almost entirely from voters.

Candidate Filing Deadline	Primary Election	General Election
April 14, 2014	June 24, 2014	November 4, 2014

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New York utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Voter registration: To vote in the federal primary, voters had to register by May 30, 2014. To vote in the state primary, voters had to register by August 15, 2014.

See also: New York elections, 2014

Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Tom Reed (R), who was first elected in 2010.

New York's 23rd Congressional District is located in the southwestern portion of the state and includes Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Yates, Schuyler, Seneca, Tompkins and Chemung counties and parts of Ontario and Tioga counties.

Candidates

General election candidates

• Tom Reed - Incumbenta
• Martha Robertson

June 24, 2014, primary results

Republican Primary

• Tom Reed - Incumbenta

Conservative Primary

• Tom Reed - Incumbenta

Independence Primary

• Tom Reed - Incumbenta

Democratic Primary

• Martha Robertson - Tompkins County Legislative Chaira

Working Families Primary

• Martha Robertson - Tompkins County Legislative Chaira

Disqualified

• Amber Cole
• Darin Robbins

Election results

General election

U.S. House, New York District 23 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Tom Reed Incumbent	61.7%	113,130
	Democratic	Martha Robertson	38.3%	70,242
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	109
Total Votes				183,481
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Race background

Martha Robertson was a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Jumpstart program, which was designed to provide early support to top-tier Democratic challengers.

Green Party candidates

Aaron Andrew Keister submitted petitions for two potential Green Party candidates, Amber Cole and Darin Robbins, to the New York Board of Elections. However, both Cole and Robbins claimed that they had no idea that Keister was gathering petitions for them, as they had not planned to run. The New York Board of Elections subsequently disqualified Cole and Robbins from the primary. John Conklin, spokesperson for the New York Board of Elections, stated that Keister's actions were not illegal, and that they had actually disqualified Cole because the address on the petition was incorrect and Robbins because the signatures were submitted late. There was speculation that Keister may have been working with Republican incumbent Tom Reed, attempting to add a Green candidate to the general election, which would have drawn away votes from his Democratic opponent, Martha Robertson. Reed denied any knowledge of Keister's actions.

Endorsements

Tom Reed

Tom Reed was endorsed by the following:

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• The Chemung County Republican Committee
• The Seneca County Republican Committee
• The Tompkins County Republican Committee
• The Ontario County Republican Committee

Martha Robertson

Martha Robertson was endorsed by the following:

• EMILY's List
• Students for a New American Politics (SNAP) PAC
• J Street PAC

Issues

See also: Energy and the 2014 election: the ballots and beyond

Campaign themes

Tom Reed

Tom Reed listed the following themes on his campaign website:

“	Jobs/Economy: Small businesses, particularly in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes, are the primary employers and job creators. They are the key to ensuring our economic recovery – that’s why Tom has introduced the bipartisan Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, which creates a network of regional institutes to create jobs and make the U.S. a leader in manufacturing again, while also working to provide regulatory relief for small business. National Debt: The United States is more than $17 trillion in debt. As our debt grows, so does the amount we pay in interest to the debt. Those interest payments will mean cuts to vital services and commitments if allowed to balloon out of control. Tom is fighting to balance the budget and force Washington to make responsible decisions in government spending. In 2012, Tom began an initiative to spotlight taxpayer dollars being frittered away by federal agencies. The program has highlighted more than $14 billion in waste thus far. Healthcare: Obamacare is more than a broken website, it’s a failed solution to spiraling healthcare costs. It has led to cancelled insurance policies and job losses. Tom believes in a more patient-centered solution to our health care challenges that will empower patients and doctors, not insurance carriers and government bureaucrats. Tom believes in reforms that ensure all Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions and past illnesses, get coverage at affordable prices. Tom has worked to highlight the over 700 billion dollars that was robbed from Medicare to pay for Obamacare, and believes very strongly in protecting the promise made to senior citizens. 2nd Amendment: Tom believes in the fundamental right to keep and bear arms, recognized by our Founding Fathers and expressly protected by the U.S. Constitution.. The New York SAFE Act is an example of over-reach at a state level that motivates Tom at the Federal level. Tom doesn’t support the SAFE Act and will stand firmly in protecting our Second Amendment rights and fight the many one-size-fits-all proposals out of Washington. Taxes: Tom is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and is fighting to enact real tax reform, and address a 70,000-page tax code that hasn’t seen comprehensive reform since 1986. Taxpayers deserve a simpler, fairer tax code that closes loopholes and puts everyone on a level playing field. Tax reform would save a typical family in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes an average of $600 annually. Veterans: Tom’s father was a decorated Army officer who served in World War II and Korea. Issues affecting our veterans are a top priority for Tom and he is committed to providing our servicemen and women, along with their families, the care they deserve. Tom has a staff member dedicated to veteran’s issues and is committed to fixing the VA to improve care and give veterans more choices when it comes to health care. The recent scandal involving systemic problems within the VA are unacceptable, and Tom will push for greater transparency and quality of care within the department.	”
—Tom Reed, Campaign website (archive)

Martha Robertson

Martha Robertson listed the following themes on her campaign website:

“	Invest in the Middle Class: "I’m running for Congress to help break the gridlock that’s prevented America from building a stronger economy that benefits everyone. Government can’t do it alone; we must forge public/private partnerships and bipartisan alliances to address the top issues facing us: creating high-quality jobs, prioritizing education, and protecting Medicare and Social Security." Jobs & Economic Development: "Martha understands that a vibrant job market is critical to all aspects of community development. That's easy to say, hard to do, but her record as a job creator proves she knows how! Before entering the public arena Martha started her own business, working in museum exhibit design and construction. She knows what it is like to build a business from the ground up, find customers, and meet a payroll. She will fight to keep these opportunities alive for today’s small business owners and create an environment that encourages tomorrow’s entrepreneurs as well." Clean Energy and the Environment: "Martha knows that our region will be best served by strengthening our existing economic drivers including agriculture, tourism, and small businesses. She believes that we can harness our own power while creating permanent, local jobs through innovative renewable energy, efficiency, and clean tech investments and development." Education for Our Future: "To Martha, a former kindergarten teacher, education is a personal mission. To this day she still believes the old saying that everything we need to know to succeed in life (and certainly in politics), we learn in kindergarten. She knows firsthand the importance of providing both teachers and students the tools they need to succeed in their respective roles." Fairness and Opportunity: "Martha has wrestled with county budgets for 12 years on the Tompkins County Legislature. In most of those years the budget passed with bipartisan support, following a deliberative process involving all legislators, all department heads, and the public." Our Seniors: "Martha understands that the prosperity of our community depends on the well-being of all our citizens. The elderly on fixed incomes are feeling uneasy these days as some in Congress propose to put Social Security on the chopping block. Our seniors’ livelihoods should not be subject to the vagaries of the financial markets. Martha will continue to fight to protect Social Security against efforts to privatize it, which would have been devastating in the recent recession."	”
—Martha Robertson, Campaign website (archive)

Key votes

Government affairs

HR 676

See also: Boehner's lawsuit against the Obama administration

On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit. Reed joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.

Campaign contributions

Tom Reed

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Reed’s reports.

Tom Reed (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	May 16, 2013	$115,517.97	$229,008.61	$(97,935.81)	$246,590.77
July Quarterly	July 15, 2013	$246,590.77	$450,719.64	$(157,344.31)	$539,966.10
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$539,966.10	$554,293.68	$(182,377.52)	$911,882.26
Year-End Quarterly	December 31, 2013	$911,882	$242,669	$(246,548)	$918,446
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$918,446.68	$392,247.37	$(235,234.36)	$1,075,459.69
Pre-Primary	June 12, 2014	$1,075,459.69	$321,781.06	$(235,485.95)	$1,161,754.80
July Quarterly	July 14, 2014	$1,161,754.80	$341,187.36	$(228,636.37)	$1,274,305.79
October Quarterly	October 15, 2014	$1,274,305.79	$669,173.64	$(1,024,088.11)	$919,391.32
Pre-General	October 23, 2014	$919,391.32	$112,837.80	$(465,261.04)	$566,968.08
			Running totals
			$3,313,918.16	$(2,872,911.47)

Martha Robertson

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Robertson's reports.

Martha Robertson (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
July Quarterly	July 15, 2013	$0.00	$278,049.34	$(30,105.48)	$247,943.86
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$247,943.86	$175,278.16	$(47,894.72)	$375,327.30
Year-End	January 31, 2014	$375,327.30	$273,623.70	$(89,279.64)	$559,671.36
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$559,671.36	$330,366.06	$(76,526.64)	$813,510.78
			Running totals
			$1,057,317.26	$(243,806.48)

Media

Martha Robertson

• In October 2013, Martha Robertson released an introductory campaign ad, describing her background and her position on key issues.

Robertson 2014 campaign ad

Tom Reed

• In January 2014, Tom Reed released an internet video promoting his 2014 re-election campaign.

Reed 2014 campaign ad

District history

Candidate ballot access
Find detailed information on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

2012

On November 6, 2012, Tom Reed (R) won re-election to the United States House. He ran in the 23rd District due to redistricting in 2011. He defeated Nate Shinagawa (D) in the general election.

U.S. House, New York District 23 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Tom Reed Incumbent	51.9%	137,669
	Democratic	Nate Shinagawa	48.1%	127,535
	N/A	Write-in votes	0%	78
Total Votes				265,282
Source: New York State Board of Elections, "NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns Nov. 6, 2012," accessed September 1, 2021

2010

On November 2, 2010, Bill Owens won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Matthew Dohney (R) and Douglas Hoffman (Conservative) in the general election.

U.S. House, New York District 23 General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Bill Owens incumbent	47.5%	82,232
	Republican	Matthew A. Doheny	46.4%	80,237
	Conservative	Douglas L. Hoffman	6.1%	10,507
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	115
Total Votes				173,091

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 2014
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2014

External links

• New York State Board of Elections

Footnotes

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New York's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Kirsten Gillibrand (D)

Chuck Schumer (D)

Representatives

District 1

Nicholas LaLota (R)

District 2

Andrew Garbarino (R)

District 3

Tom Suozzi (D)

District 4

Laura Gillen (D)

District 5

Gregory Meeks (D)

District 6

Grace Meng (D)

District 7

Nydia Velazquez (D)

District 8

Hakeem Jeffries (D)

District 9

Yvette Clarke (D)

District 10

Daniel Goldman (D)

District 11

Nicole Malliotakis (R)

District 12

Jerrold Nadler (D)

District 13

Adriano Espaillat (D)

District 14

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D)

District 15

Ritchie Torres (D)

District 16

George Latimer (D)

District 17

Michael Lawler (R)

District 18

Pat Ryan (D)

District 19

Josh Riley (D)

District 20

Paul Tonko (D)

District 21

Elise Stefanik (R)

District 22

John Mannion (D)

District 23

Nick Langworthy (R)

District 24

Claudia Tenney (R)

District 25

Joseph Morelle (D)

District 26

Tim Kennedy (D)

Democratic Party (21)

Republican Party (7)