By Joseph J. Schatz, CQ Staff

Pronounced: MASS-uh

Election: Defeated Rep. John R. “Randy” Kuhl Jr. , R

Residence: Corning

Born: Sept. 16, 1959; Charleston, S.C.

Religion: Roman Catholic

Family: Wife, Beverly Massa; three children

Education: U.S. Naval Academy, B.S. 1981 (engineering)

Military: Navy, 1981-2001

Career: Navy officer; defense firm consultant; campaign and congressional aide; photonics engineer

Political highlights: Democratic nominee for U.S. House, 2006

Massa, a retired Navy man, a former Republican and a former adviser to retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark, brings a long r??sum?? in military policy and foreign affairs to the House, where he served briefly on the staff of the Armed Services Committee in the run-up to the Iraq War.

He wrote reports critical of the Bush administration’s Iraq decisions before leaving the committee — and the GOP — to join Clark’s 2004 Democratic presidential campaign. Massa says he decided to run for office the day after President Bush was re-elected in 2004.

The “surge” strategy in Iraq has been unsuccessful, he says, in that it has not allowed a significant redeployment of troops. He has called for a political settlement to separate the warring parties, likening the situation to Bosnia’s.