Tom Reed Won’t Seek Re-election, Rules Out Cuomo Challenge

(Bloomberg) -- Representative Tom Reed won’t seek re-election to the U.S. House, the New York Republican said in a statement Sunday night in which he apologized to a lobbyist who accused him of touching her inappropriately.

Reed said his behavior on a political trip in 2017 was “unprofessional” and “wrong,” adding that it occurred at a time when he was struggling with alcohol addiction.

The lawmaker, seen recently as a potential challenger to embattled Governor Andrew Cuomo -- who faces his own allegations of improper conduct -- won’t run for governor either.

He’d recently called on Cuomo to resign and be impeached.

“Consistent with my recovery, I publicly take ownership of my past actions, offer this amends and humbly apologize again to Ms. Davis, my wife and kids, loved ones, and to all of you,” he said.

Reed represents New York’s 23rd Congressional District, which stretches from parts of the state’s Southern Tier, the Finger Lakes region and western New York.

Reed’s statement cited a 2010 pledge to serve no more than six terms in the House as the reason he wasn’t running for re-election.

Reed also is the Republican co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

Dow Jones reported Reed’s statement earlier.

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