You really couldn't script this race any better: Jon Powers is a 29-year-old Iraq Veteran and substitute teacher who founded a nonprofit to serve Iraqi orphans. He's running to fill the just-vacated seat of Tom Reynolds (R-New York) -- who, among the many blushes of his career, voted for the Iraq War, voted against a series of 9/11 Commission recommendations to improve homeland security, and for years turned a blind eye to Mark Foley's proclivity for underage pages.
Powers faces a likely opponent in the self-financed millionaire, Jack Davis, who dismisses Powers' chances accordingly: "He's 29 years old, and he's never had a real job." (Because serving in Iraq and working as a substitute teacher don't count.)
With Reynolds' retirement, the tally of Republicans who have declined this year to run for reelection has hit 29.
Chris Hayes
You really couldn’t script this race any better: Jon Powers is a 29-year-old Iraq Veteran and substitute teacher who founded a nonprofit to serve Iraqi orphans. He’s running to fill the just-vacated seat of Tom Reynolds (R-New York) — who, among the many blushes of his career, voted for the Iraq War, voted against a series of 9/11 Commission recommendations to improve homeland security, and for years turned a blind eye to Mark Foley’s proclivity for underage pages.
Powers faces a likely opponent in the self-financed millionaire, Jack Davis, who dismisses Powers’ chances accordingly: “He’s 29 years old, and he’s never had a real job.” (Because serving in Iraq and working as a substitute teacher don’t count.)
With Reynolds’ retirement, the tally of Republicans who have declined this year to run for reelection has hit 29.
Run, Powers, run!
Chris HayesTwitterChris Hayes is the Editor-at-Large of The Nation and host of “All In with Chris Hayes” on MSNBC.