Sources: Claudia Tenney Will Indeed Run for Congress

Sources close to Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney say the two-term state legislator will announce soon that she has indeed decided to primary Congressman Richard Hanna (NY-22) in the June Republican Primary.

A party committee member told WIBX today, on the condition of anonymity, that the petition is being distributed through the political firm, Compound Strategies Group.   The committee member says that Tenney is now personally requesting assistance from local party leaders to collect signatures and is asking them to obtain the petition through the political consulting firm in Schenectady.  A call to the firm's founder, political consultant Brian Young, has not yet been returned.

News broke last week that Tenney was exploring the idea of challenging Hanna and was

actually polling people across the district to see if there was support.  It was reported to WIBX News that a petition was being drawn up last Tuesday and that Tenney had told Conservative members that she had decided to run.  However, the Assemblywoman told the Utica Observer Dispatch that she hadn't yet "made a decision"  and that she had no control over the people who were circulating her petition.

Last week, speaking to an Albany radio station, Tenney again said she hasn't made up her mind on whether or not to run; yet, she sounded a lot like a candidate when she started criticizing the Congressman.

"He’s turned into a very moderate to almost liberal Republican on some issues," Tenney said.  She added that "A lot of solid, real Republicans are interested in me making the move," and then sighted Hanna's view on gay rights and called him "very, very Pro-Choice."

A poll released recently by pollster McLaughlin and Associates and recently reported by Syracuse.com has Hanna winning by a landslide if the election were held today.  The poll of likely Republican voters gives Hanna an overwhelming edge of 72% to 17% in a two-way race against the New Hartford Assemblywoman.

Tenney will join two additional candidates who have declared intent to challenge Hanna in the June Primary.  Michael Kicinski, of Earlville, a member of the Norwich Tea Party Patriots, and Michael Vasquez, of Binghamton, a political commentator and insurance agent, both Conservatives.

Signed petitions are due with at least 1250 valid signatures by the April 10th deadline.