Rep. Thomas Reynolds’s re-election hopes lie somewhere between the recent congressional page scandal and an October blizzard that crippled his upstate New York district.

In New York State’s most expensive House race ever — $6.8 million, so far — Mr. Reynolds is facing a tough rematch against Democrat Jack Davis, a former Republican and largely self-financed candidate stumping on safeguarding American borders, fighting free trade agreements, and protecting the working class.

When the Mark Foley scandal broke in late September, speculation swirled that Mr. Reynolds had known about the Florida Republican’s explicit e-mails for months but had done nothing about it.

Mr. Reynolds, the chairman of the Republican National Congressional Committee, aired a commercial in early October saying he had alerted the House speaker, Dennis Hastert, about the messages, but should have done more. Mr. Davis quickly followed with his own ad attacking his opponent for his role in the alleged cover-up.

The momentum seemed to shift to Mr. Davis. But then the snow began falling on October 12.

This 26th Congressional District in western New York was hit with up to 2 feet of snow in a storm that left hundreds of thousands of residents without power. Mr. Reynolds was instrumental in helping to secure $5 million in federal disaster funding to help the area recover. The Foley scandal was pushed off of the front pages and the battle returned to which candidate could better help revitalize the region’s economy, which has been savaged by a declining manufacturing base.

“I think it has gotten back to more substantive issues that don’t cut so clearly in Davis’s favor,” a professor of political science at the University of Buffalo, James Campbell, said.

Mr. Davis had to reassure voters that he would protect Social Security after he floated the idea of increasing the retirement age, which has helped put the pressure on Mr. Davis and allow the incumbent to go on the offensive.

Mr. Reynolds has touted his experience in local, state, and national politics, and his ability to bring millions in federal funds back to the district. The jobs issue plays big in this region, and Mr. Reynolds proudly noted recently that a local hand-held torch manufacturer, BernzOmatic, had agreed to remain in Medina and not move to China, as had been planned.

Mr. Reynolds also pointed to a capital grant from the Empire State Development Corporation, in addition to monies secured from the Department of Labor to boost worker-training programs.

Even though he is in the thick of a campaign, Mr. Davis, 73, is keeping an eye on his factory, I Squared R Element Company Inc., which manufactures silicon carbide heating elements. It has cut into his campaigning time, but he says he is not a politician and that bringing home the federal bacon is not his first priority.

Mr. Davis also said that if elected, he would serve in Congress for a yearly salary of $1. “I’m going to Washington to represent the people of western New York, not to set myself up with free health care for life and a luxury pension, paid for by the taxpayers,” Mr. Davis said.

The Democrat has challenged Mr. Reynolds over his support for free trade agreements and reliance on campaign funds from special interests outside the 26th District. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Mr. Reynolds has received more than $1.5 million from political action committees. Mr. Davis has received $11,150 from PACs and has relied on his own fortune, spending $2.27 million on the race.

Recently, however, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stepped in with $439,000 to air television ads in the Rochester and Buffalo markets. The Republican National Committee pumped $470,000 into Mr. Reynolds’s campaign for advertisements.

While Mr. Reynolds recently testified before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct on the Foley scandal, a report is not expected until after the election. This is good news for the Reynolds camp and forces Mr. Davis to play the anti-free trade card and push an independent political philosophy that can sway voters in a district where President Bush took 55% of the vote in 2004.

As for Mr. Reynolds, his campaign seems to be hoping that voters will stick with a congressman they know, and with national clout, rather than one linked to scandal in Washington.