Rep. Bill Owens (D, New York-21) cuts and runs.

By Moe Lane | 1:00 PM on January 14, 2014

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Nice.

NY Democratic Rep Bill Owens not seeking reelection.

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 14, 2014

This was that thoroughly contested seat (the one involving Doug Hoffman) that drove the GOP nuts in 2009 and 2010 in trying to take it back. As Politico implies, Bill Owens hasn’t really been fitting in in Congress and the Republican party has been actively planning to go for it in 2014; we just took a large step towards retaking it.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

PS: Circumstances in 2009 (GOP assigning candidate) and 2010 (loser of the GOP primary making an abortive third-party run) are what gave Owens his chance in the first case; his 2012 win against a regular GOP candidate was razor-thin. Without incumbency, this race shifts in the GOP’s direction pretty much immediately.