Democratic leaders from the 11-county 23rd Congressional District met last week in Hornell with potential 2018 challengers to U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, although potential candidates were not identified.

A surge of progressive activism across the district, galvanized over Donald Trump’s presidential win and Reed’s support of a failed bill repealing the Affordable Care Act, is reinforcing Democratic resolve to mount a serious challenge to Reed next year, one Cattaraugus County Democratic official said.

“There could be a primary,” said the official, who asked not to be identified.

There hasn’t been a Democratic primary in the district since 2012, when Leslie Danks Burke, Melissa Dobson and Nate Shinagawa sought to run against Reed. Shinagawa, the primary winner from Tompkins County, lost to Reed by 52 percent to 48 percent, fewer than 10,000 votes.

Reed won re-election to a fourth term in November, beating Democrat John Plumb, a Randolph native who had little backing, 58.1 percent to 41.9 percent.

An early primary supporter of Trump and a member of the president’s transition team, Reed is expected to seek re-election next year.

Democratic leaders who attended the Hornell meeting “said that they are in it to win it,” said Steuben County Democratic Chairman Shawn Hogan. “We share the same goals as the activist groups, and we are aggressively reviewing all potential candidates.”

The Democratic chairmen heard from several potential challengers to Reed. Candidates are expected to meet individually with the county chairmen over the next few weeks.

“It’s only right that our congressman should represent all of us, but Tom Reed has shown time and again he works for special interests rather than for the people,” said Cattaraugus County chairman Joyce Melfi-Cwiklinski of Olean. “It’s past time for a change.”

She and Allegany County Democratic Chairman Mike McCormick both attended the Hornell meeting.

The county chairmen are interested in speaking with others who might consider running against Reed on the Democratic ticket.

Petitions for nominations to run for congressional seats circulate in March 2018 and a primary, if there is one, would be the third week in June.