ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Democrats in Western New York spent last week commemorating and celebrating the life of longtime Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. This week, they turned their focus to the future.

New York State Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Joe Morelle announced his intention to run for the 25th Congressional District during a press conference at the Local 13 Plumbers and Pipefitters meeting hall in Rochester. Slaughter’s daughter and son-in-law stood with Morelle as he spoke about how the Democrat helped inspire him to get into politics decades ago.

“We, I know, are all deeply concerned about the direction extremists in Washington are taking our country,” he said. “Their destructive policies and out-of-touch agenda are threatening the very foundations of American democracy and have completely abandoned the core values so many of us hold dear. We need a leader in Congress who will pick up the mantle of Louise Slaughter.”

Also joining Morelle were a number of high-profile local Democrats whose names have been in the conversation as the congresswoman’s potential successors, including Monroe County Clerk Adam Bello, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, former Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy and Assemblyman Harry Bronson. They preached unity as the party plans to rally around Morelle.

“Joe is in governance for the right reasons. Joe is in governance because he believes it’s the right thing to make the world a better place. Indeed, he believes it’s all of our responsibilities to make the world a better place. That was the call of Louise Slaughter,” Bronson said.

Morelle may face a primary challenge though. Former television reporter Rachel Barnhart has not officially announced her candidacy but is circulating petitions.

Barnhart was critical of Morelle and the party Monday on Twitter. She called it a coronation of an establishment Democrat who stood by during Albany corruption and sexual harassment scandals.

“A Democratic Party that claims to want more women and minorities shut the door on women and minority candidates today in favor of a man who has done little to promote women and minorities in politics,” she wrote. “This is your party. You should have a voice.”

Rochester City School Board president and attorney Van White confirms he's gathering signatures in the event he decides to run. White says he encourages all voters to sign all candidates' petitions.

"What this community needs is to have a choice," White said. "And the only way this community gets a choice is if we — people like myself, Rachel Barnhart, Robin Wilts, and anybody else, Joe Morelle — is if those people file those petitions and I'm going to need, everybody will need 1,250 signatures in order to give the citizens of this community a choice."

The National Republican Congressional Committee also was quick to point out Morelle’s connection to Albany scandals, including his relationship to former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

“Albany machine politician and Cuomo ally Joe Morelle just announced his campaign for NY-25 – and the skeletons are already jumping out of his closet. Morelle stood by Sheldon Silver during his corruption trial after he took more than $5 million in illegal bribes and was convicted on seven counts including services fraud, extortion, and money laundering,” NRCC spokesperson Chris Martin said.

Silver’s convictions were overturned last year based on a Supreme Court decision which narrowed the definition of an official act and how it can be used in a corruption trial. A retrial is scheduled next month and will likely be a talking point for Morelle’s opponents throughout the campaign.

The GOP does have a candidate in Dr. Jim Maxwell who was already circulating petitions with the intention of challenging Slaughter this fall. He said he welcomes the new challenge.

“I’m not changing my message or who I am or how I present myself no matter who they put up against me. I am who I am,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell says as a lifelong Republican he believes in small government, lower taxes and term limits. He says he believes the people are tired of the tone in Washington and he believes he is a fresh candidate who brings no baggage to the table.

Morelle said his campaign will focus on issues like universal health care, women’s right to choose, gun violence, economic opportunity for working families, the opioid epidemic and racial inequality.

It is unclear right now if the governor will schedule a special election in order to fill the seat sooner than January 2019.