Correction Appended

Twenty-one of New York’s 23 Democratic House Members announced Wednesday that they were supporting 2006 nominee Dan Maffei (D) in the race to replace retiring Rep. Jim Walsh (R). The exceptions were Reps. Michael Arcuri, Eliot Engel and Nydia Velázquez.

With Walsh’s retirement announcement a week ago, Maffei, who was seeking a rematch, could find himself with company in the primary. Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll (D) plans to decide whether to run next month. Half a dozen Republicans also are considering the race.

Although the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and several political and labor leaders already have expressed their preference for Maffei, who came close to upsetting Walsh last cycle, don’t expect the state’s leading Democrat to take sides any time soon.

“I’m not wading in right now,” Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) told News 10 during an appearance in Syracuse this week. “I think there will be enough time to figure out where we go. Obviously, I’ve seen the headlines and I have good relations with [all the candidates]. I know Dan Maffei and I’m a huge fan of the mayor. So, let’s just wait and see what happens.”
— Josh Kurtz

Correction: Feb. 1, 2008

The item originally misstated the number of Democrats in the New York House delegation. It is 23.