News Room: The Special Election in New York's 26th District
By the first days of May, New York will know who replaces Representative Higgins.
After nearly 20 years in Congress, Rep. Brian Higgins is ready to call it quits. So, what went wrong to trigger this special election for New York’s 26th Congressional District? Well, he’s finally fed up with DC politics and wants out. On April 30th, New Yorkers will decide who Higgins’s successor should be.
The candidates vying for the seat are Democrat state senator, Tim Kennedy, and Republican Gary Dickson, the West Seneca town supervisor.
Tim Kennedy currently represents District 63 out of Buffalo; he assumed office in 2013. Before that, he represented District 58 in the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2013. His current term ends on the first of next year.
His professional experience includes a past as a licensed occupational therapist, serving as a county legislator for Erie County's second district, the chairman of the Economic Development Committee, the vice-chairman of the Public Safety Committee, and more. His top issues include expanding abortion, more gun control, and more state spending on healthcare.
Dickson is a US Army veteran, retired FBI special agent, and the 1st Republican supervisor of West Seneca in 50 years. His top issues include protecting education, controlling federal spending, tackling crime, reforming the FBI, and rolling back illegal immigration.
Overall, Dickson is largely a non-MAGA Republican, while Kennedy is an anti-MAGA Democrat. According to Buffalo News, Dickson agrees with USA aid to Ukraine and resists Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida’s efforts to defund and defang weaponized government agencies. A debate between the two will be hosted by News 4 on April 24th.
Kennedy has outraised Dickson. He has also gained the support of Rep. Higgins. Dickson, on the other hand, is endorsed by the Erie County Republican Committee and the Conservative Party.
Despite the pro-Democrat tendencies of the district and Kennedy’s fundraising advantage, the special circumstances of the election combined with the volatility of today’s increasingly politically polarized climate, offers the possibility of a Republican upset. This is a big district and an important race. Early voting begins April 20th.