Democratic State Senator Tim Kennedy has secured victory in the special election for New York’s 26th Congressional District, according to CNN projections. This win narrows the Republican majority in the US House, albeit temporarily.
Kennedy will fill the seat previously held by fellow Democrat Brian Higgins, representing the Buffalo-based district. He emerged victorious over Republican nominee Gary Dickson, the West Seneca town supervisor, in Tuesday’s election. With Kennedy’s swearing-in, the GOP majority in the House will decrease to just 217-213, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson with a slim margin of only one Republican on party-line votes.
Nevertheless, the GOP is poised to bolster its advantage in the chamber with a series of special elections over the next two months, including the race to succeed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
Higgins, who served the Buffalo area in the House since 2005, announced his resignation in February to lead a local performing arts center. He cited frustration with the chamber’s dysfunction and gridlock as reasons for his departure.
Kennedy, a veteran state senator, will complete the remainder of Higgins’ term and will also vie for the full two-year term starting in January by running in the June primary.
Despite a tumultuous redistricting process spanning two years and multiple legal battles, the 26th District is expected to remain favorable to Democrats. Under the new electoral lines effective in November, Joe Biden would have won the district by a substantial margin of 25 points.
The total ad spending for the race amounted to around $1 million, primarily financed by Kennedy’s campaign. His advertisements highlighted his advocacy for working families, support for abortion rights, and efforts to enact stricter gun laws following a tragic mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket in May 2022.
Kennedy’s victory marks the second consecutive special election win for New York Democrats, following Tom Suozzi’s success in replacing expelled Republican Rep. George Santos in a more competitive downstate district earlier this year. Once Kennedy assumes office, New York’s US House delegation will consist of 16 Democrats and 10 Republicans.
