Former New York Congressman John Faso says he will not run for the 19th House district seat he held for one term in 2020. Faso, 66, announced the decision on Monday in a statement.
The Republican was defeated by Democrat Antonio Delgado in his reelection bid in 2018 after a bitter campaign. Faso previously served as New York state Assembly Minority Leader and ran for governor in 2006.
Faso, who won the seat in 2016 after Rep. Chris Gibson declined to seek a fourth term, was considered one of the top Republican threats to Delgado's likely reelection bid.
Faso, who has been providing commentary on WAMC since he left the House, said family and professional obligations would keep from running for Congress again:
"After much consideration, I have decided not to seek re-election to the House of Representatives in the 2020 election. Family and professional obligations will make it impossible for me to wage another campaign, especially since such efforts would have to begin almost immediately. Serving in the House was a great privilege for which I will always be grateful to the people of the 19th Congressional District for giving me that opportunity."
NY-19 had been considered a swing district before Delgado won in the "blue wave" of 2018.
