WASHINGTON -- Republican Reps. John Katko and Claudia Tenney say President Donald Trump is making a mistake if he's urging people to leave Upstate New York to search for better job opportunities.
The two Central New York House members reacted after Trump was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article as saying residents of "upper New York state" should leave their homes behind and move to places like Wisconsin for new jobs.
Trump made his comments ahead of an announcement today that Apple contractor Foxconn will invest $10 billion in a new plant in Wisconsin that will hire 3,000 people, with the potential to eventually employ up to 13,000.
Katko, R-Camillus, who did not endorse or vote for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, said he was disappointed by the president's comments.
"Elected officials at all levels should be focused on putting pro-growth policies in place," Katko said in a statement. "We should never give up on our efforts to restore our nation's manufacturing sector, and create well-paying jobs. I love Central New York, and I will never stop my work to keep and create jobs right here in our region."
Trump suggested in the Wall Street Journal interview that it might be time for Upstate New York residents to give up on waiting for the economy to rebound in the region.
"You're going to need people to work in these massive plants," Trump said, referring to Apple's plans to invest in three new plants. "I'm going to start explaining to people: When you have an area that just isn't working like upper New York state, where people are getting very badly hurt, and then you'll have another area 500 miles away where you can't get people, I'm going to explain, you can leave. It's OK. Don't worry about your house."
Tenney, R-New Hartford, who was one of Trump's earliest supporters and has been a regular visitor to his White House, said she hopes his comments about Upstate New York were taken out of context.
"I have full confidence that President Trump understands the struggle that Upstate New York has experienced for decades, and why we need to continue to fight for policies that will revive our region," Tenney said.
Trump invited Tenney and two executives from Sherrill Manufacturing, America's last flatware manufacturer, to meet with him last week at the White House as part of an event to encourage American manufacturing.
Tenney, in turn, invited Trump to visit the plant in the city of Sherrill in Oneida County. The first-term congresswoman extended that invitation again on Wednesday after hearing about Trump's comments.
"Instead of urging people to leave our region, we should be working to implement policies that help small business owners and family farmers to draw people and jobs back to our region," Tenney said. "Today, I renew my invitation for the president to visit our area and encourage him to come see the efforts we're making to revive our once-thriving economy."
Trump campaigned across Upstate New York in 2016, visiting Syracuse, Rome, Plattsburgh and other cities where he promised to help bring back manufacturing jobs. The Queens native called Upstate New York a ghost town, but said residents in the region think he's "like the most popular person that has ever lived, virtually."
Tenney's opponent in the 22nd Congressional District race, Democrat Anthony Brindisi, had harsher words for Trump on Wednesday.
"Instead of telling this community that the answer to all our problems is to pick up our lives and families to move far away, President Trump should be doing what he promised and help us create jobs here at home," Brindisi said.
"Not long ago, he visited Rome and promised the moon but is now telling us all to go pound salt," Brindisi added. "His offensive 'advice' should have us all asking the president 'just whose side are you on?' That is why I am challenging the president to visit us again and while he is here make promises he can keep."
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