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Cattaraugus County Democrats will get a look Friday night at four of the five declared candidates seeking to run against U.S. Rep. Tom Reed.

The Cattaraugus County Democratic Party is holding a fundraising dinner at Holimont in Ellicottville with guests state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Basil Smikle, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

Frank Puglisi, the new county Democratic chairman, said four Democratic congressional candidates had confirmed they would attend the Turn It Blue Gala.

They are: Jamestown attorney Eddie Sundquist, Ithaca businessman Ian Golden, John Hertzler, an actor and town board member from Trumansburg and Max Della Pia, a retired Air Force officer from Owego.

Puglisi said candidate Rick Gallant, a Corning teacher, will be in Washington, D.C. that day and unable to attend. He planned to send a representative.

Puglisi said he was excited to have four Democratic congressional candidates at the dinner. He and other Democratic county chairmen from across the 11-county 23rd Congressional District are looking for a strong candidate to emerge from the pact to mount a challenge to Reed, a three-term incumbent.

Two of the candidates are from Tompkins County, and one each from Chautauqua, Tioga and Steuben counties.

Fundraising will play a big part leading up to a primary in June of 2018. The winner would then have to start raising funds to run against Reed in November.

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Were looking for up to 150 people at the dinner,Puglisi said. He was named earlier this month to succeed longtime Democratic chairman Joyce Melfi Cwiklinski.

A social hour beginning at 6 p.m. will proceed the dinner at 7 oclock.

Tickets are available from Puglisi, Kevin Burleson or via the partys website at http://www.cattcodemocrat.com.

(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)

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Four congressional candidates set for Democrat dinner - Olean Times Herald