Upstate New York breeds two things in profusion: awful republican Congressmen and outstanding Democratic challengers. You know about Eric Massa; now meet Jon Powers. Via Ben, here's a biographical video well worth taking a look at. Per Albany Project, Jon raised $117,000 in the last quarter, a good showing on its own merits and certainly for a challenger running against an entrenched incumbent, in his case, Tom Reynolds. You may remember the latter as an enabler of Mark Foley, who came within a few points of losing in November 2006. Take a closer look at Jon. I did, at YearlyKos, and I'm very impressed. He's smart, inquisitive, and frankly a really nice guy. New York would be well served with him in Congress. As an Iraq War veteran, Jon brings the kind of front-line experience to the table notably lacking in Congress in general; and as a teacher, he's well positioned to address issues of education, economic fairness and other middle-class issues. On the web: Jon Powers for Congress