Eric Massa
Early life and career
Eric James Joseph Massa was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on September 16, 1959. The son of a career naval officer, Massa grew up in various locations, including Argentina and New Orleans. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Massa was on active duty in the Navy for 24 years. He served in the Persian Gulf War and also served as aide to General Wesley Clark. Near the end of his Navy career, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, from which he later recovered.
Early life and career
Upon retirement from the military, Massa moved to Corning, New York, to work for the Corning Glass Company in 2001. He lost his job due to downsizing and moved to Washington to work as a Republican staffer for the House Armed Services Committee in 2003. Massa was fired after it became known that he had written to his former boss, Democrat Wesley Clark, with advice on his presidential campaign. Thereafter, Massa joined the Democratic Party. He coordinated veterans' outreach efforts in New Hampshire and Virginia during Clark's unsuccessful 2004 presidential bid.
2006
In 2006, Massa ran for Congress in New York's 29th congressional district on the strength of his military background. On election night, incumbent Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl led Massa by a 52%-48% margin. Massa requested a recount and an accounting of absentee ballots because 6,000 votes separated the two and 10,000 were left to be counted. After a week of waiting, the ballots were approximately even and Congressman Kuhl was re-elected. Massa conceded the election with a telephone call to Congressman Kuhl.
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