Updated: 6/25/21 - 1:29 P.M.
ENDWELL, NY (WSKG) — Former Rep. Anthony Brindisi, a Democrat, will not pursue another run for congress.
Brindisi announced in a press release Thursday morning that he will not follow through with a 2022 bid.
"Being closer to home is the most important thing to me right now, so I can be there for them,” Brindisi told WSKG shortly after the news broke. “Being a member of Congress is just not conducive to doing that, so I decided not to run for a third time in 2022."
Late last year, Brindisi filedpaperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for the 22nd congressional district seat in 2022. He said that, while a congressional bid is off the table for next year, he may still consider running for other elected office.
“I still consider myself pretty young and I love public service, I love this community and I still want to be able to give back so I won't rule out future runs for other local offices down the road,” Brindisi said.
Brindisi also said he has not been approached about serving in the Biden administration or at the state level.
Brindisi unseated one term Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-22) in 2018, but lost a rematch with her last year. The 2020 campaign was the second-closest house race in the country with Tenney beating out Brindisi by 109 votes following months of judicial challenges and recounts.
Tenney has filedwith the FEC to run again in 2022, though it is unclear what exactly the district will look as the state draws new lines in accordance with 2020 census figures. New York will lose one congressional seat next year. It is not known where the new lines may be drawn, but Brindisi said redistricting did not have anything to do with his decision.
"It's totally just a personal decision," Brindisi said. "It's a decision based on wanting to spend more time closer to my family. The redistricting process is going to play out and the lines will be redrawn one way or the other."
Currently, the only other candidate filed for candidacy in NY-22 for 2022 is Hal Stewart. He noted on Twitter that he is running as an independent. Mikayla Ridley, a Democrat, has also filed to run.*
*This story has been updated to add information about Mikayla Ridley's candidacy.