Tim Kennedy (D) Wins New York’s 26th Congressional District Special Election
In a significant victory for Democrats, State Sen. Tim Kennedy is set to clinch the special election for New York’s 26th Congressional District, as projected by the Associated Press.
Kennedy emerged triumphant over Republican Gary Dickson, a town supervisor, in the fiercely contested race within the Upstate New York district, encompassing the urban hubs of Buffalo and Niagara Falls. He will fulfill the remainder of former Democratic congressman Brian Higgins’s term until January. Higgins resigned earlier to helm a performing arts center in the predominantly Democratic district.
The Democratic win will momentarily narrow the Republican majority in the House to just one seat, underscoring the delicate balance for party-line legislative initiatives. With Kennedy’s arrival, House Republicans will hold 217 seats against Democrats’ 213, with five seats still vacant.
A stalwart liberal Democrat, Kennedy rallied with the backing of the Working Families Party, leveraging his tenure as a state legislator since 2011. His financial prowess significantly outmatched Dickson’s campaign, with Kennedy’s expenditure surpassing $1 million, dwarfing Dickson’s reported spending of approximately $21,000, as per the latest campaign finance disclosures. Moreover, Kennedy is also vying for the district’s full term in the upcoming 2024 elections.
During debates with Dickson, Kennedy emphasized his support for a bipartisan immigration bill, which had been thwarted by former President Donald Trump and GOP cohorts, contrasting with Dickson’s accusations of President Biden’s purported laxity in border security. Kennedy also affirmed his stance in favor of codifying abortion rights, in stark contrast to Dickson’s neutral stance on potential changes to abortion laws, as reported by local television station WIVB.
