David Riley

@rilzd

Local television news anchor and reporter Rachel Barnhart will leave WROC-TV after her Thursday broadcast — a likely step toward running for elected office.

Barnhart and the station confirmed her departure this week, but she declined to discuss her plans in detail. She is widely expected, however, to announce a challenge to Assemblyman Harry Bronson, D-Rochester, in the state Democratic primary election on Sept. 13.

“I’m leaving to pursue new opportunities," Barnhart said. "I’m extremely grateful for WROC’s support over the last few years I’ve worked there.”

Barnhart's contract at Channel 8 is up at the end of the month.

Bronson kicked off his re-election campaign last week at Monroe County Democratic headquarters, with Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, D-Irondequoit, and Mayor Lovely Warren speaking in support of him.

The seat at stake represents the 138th Assembly District, which includes portions of the city and the towns of Chili and Henrietta. Bronson was first elected in 2010.

If Barnhart runs, she would do so without backing from local Democratic party leadership. The Monroe County Democratic Committee and the state Working Families Party have endorsed Bronson.

Lobbyist Robert Scott Gaddy commissioned a poll in March that floated Barnhart's name as a potential challenger to Bronson. Gaddy, who in the past has been close to Assemblyman David Gantt, D-Rochester, said at the time that he was acting on behalf of local Barnhart supporters.

► Poll floats Barnhart versus Bronson in Assembly race

► Mayor Warren endorses Assemblyman Bronson (March 17, 2016)

Bronson said if Barnhart runs against him, he would be "honored and privileged to once again present the case to the people I represent about the things I’ve done over the last number of years, and how I want to continue to work on those issues and improve those issues.”

This includes fighting to raise the state's minimum wage and to establish paid family leave, helping to deliver additional aid to local schools and working to improve job readiness programs, he said. Bronson also said more can be done to make taxes in New York reasonable.

For now, Barnhart steered clear of politics and spoke largely about her journalism career.

She started in 1999 at R News and joined WROC from 2000 to 2006, after which she sued the station and challenged an industry standard barring TV reporters from seeking work at other stations after leaving a job.

Barnhart worked at 13WHAM-TV from 2006 to 2013 before returning to WROC. She said she is proud of her work, ranging from coverage of city school administrators to highlighting the case of a man serving a prison sentence for a murder that another man says he committed.

“I think that journalists play a very crucial, crucial role in Rochester," Barnhart said. "I’m very proud of pursuing stories that needed to be told, sometimes at a cost.”

Louis Gattozzi, vice president and general manager at WROC-TV, spoke highly of Barnhart and said she will be missed.

Amid the talk of Barnhart as a potential candidate, the station made a conscious effort to steer her away from stories that might present a possible conflict of interest, he said.

The station is in final discussions about who will replace Barnhart and will make a decision soon, according to Gattozzi.

Republicans Peter Vazquez and Robert Zinck also have announced plans to run for the 138th district.

DRILEY@Gannett.com