New York special election will fill vacancy in Congress created by resignation of Democrat Higgins

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Voters successful an upstate New York legislature territory volition take betwixt a Democrat regarded by galore arsenic the earthy successor to the longtime congressman who vacated the spot earlier this twelvemonth and a Republican with crossover entreaty successful a peculiar election Tuesday.

Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins, who arrived successful Congress successful 2005, resigned successful February to go president of Shea's Performing Arts Center successful Buffalo. With Republicans holding a constrictive borderline successful the U.S. House, adjacent a contention for a spot wide expected to stay successful Democratic hands has drawn its stock of scrutiny.

The contention successful the 26th District features authorities Sen. Timothy Kennedy, a Democrat who regards Higgins arsenic a mentor, and Gary Dickson, the archetypal Republican elected arsenic a municipality supervisor successful the Buffalo suburb of West Seneca successful 50 years.

The territory spans Erie and Niagara counties, including the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls. With registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans by much than 2-to-1, it is considered a harmless spot for Democrats.

A authorities lawmaker since 2011, Kennedy, similar Higgins, is the merchandise of a beardown South Buffalo base. Describing Washington arsenic “chaotic and dysfunctional,” helium said helium would absorption successful Congress connected reproductive rights, immigration and stronger weapon laws similar those passed successful New York aft a 2022 wide shooting astatine a Buffalo supermarket.

“New York has been a bulwark against Donald Trump’s extremist MAGA docket that has infected our authorities and our nation’s capital,” helium said. “The MAGA extremists person made the House of Representatives a laughingstock.”

Kennedy enters the contention with a immense fiscal advantage. The Democrat raised $1.7 cardinal by April 10, compared with Dickson’s $35,430 total, according to run concern reports. Kennedy has spent conscionable implicit $1 cardinal successful the off-season election, compared with $21,000 for Dickson arsenic the candidates enactment to punctual voters to spell to the polls.

Dickson, a retired FBI peculiar agent, acknowledged his uphill ascent erstwhile helium announced his candidacy astatine the extremity of February, saying helium was moving to springiness voters a choice. He said helium supports Trump arsenic the Republican nominee for president, portion describing his ain authorities arsenic “more towards the center.”

Drawing from 5 years astatine the U.S. Embassy successful Moscow portion with the FBI, Dickson said helium would person voted for the $95 cardinal overseas bundle passed by Congress, which included assistance for Ukraine. He called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “vicious, brutal dictator.”

“If helium is not stopped now, helium volition support connected going,” helium said during a late-campaign debate.

Earlier this year, the GOP’s slim House bulk was narrowed successful a intimately contested Long Island-area peculiar predetermination that followed New York Republican George Santos’ expulsion from Congress. That race, won by Democrat Tom Suozzi, was viewed arsenic a trial of the parties’ wide predetermination strategies connected migration and abortion.

In the 26th District, adjacent a closer-than-expected triumph for Democrats would accidental thing astir the temper of the electorate, said Jacob Neiheisel, an subordinate prof of governmental subject astatine the University astatine Buffalo. He said debased turnout could beryllium a motion that enthusiasm is lacking.

“If Dickson is capable to marque it a tighter contention than it is expected to be, it seems apt that Republicans would trumpet this arsenic grounds that their enactment is ascendant," helium said.

The predetermination comes arsenic Trump is connected proceedings successful New York City successful the archetypal transgression proceedings of a erstwhile American president and the archetypal of 4 prosecutions of Trump to scope a jury.

The victor of Tuesday’s peculiar predetermination volition service the remainder of the year.

Kennedy is connected the ballot for the wide predetermination successful November and faces a June superior against erstwhile municipality supervisor Nate McMurray, a two-time legislature candidate. Attorney Anthony Marecki is the lone Republican campaigner who has filed petitions to run. Dickson did not record to tally successful the wide election.