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NY-26

Crucial budget vote rode on a busy Burk's shoulders

By WBTA News

Batavia City School Board Member Patrick Burk was in a Catch-22 Tuesday evening.

Burk is a Genesee County elections official, and also the president of Batavia City Democrats. So naturally he was at the polling place at 9 p.m., when police walked in and attempted to confiscate the voting machines. It seems Jane Corwin’s campaign had obtained a court order to block any immediate counting of the votes.

“Corwin ‘allegedly’ had a court impound the machines, but I heard it was overturned,” says Burk.

While talking with police, Burk received a call on his cell phone from fellow board member Steve Hyde, which he ignored.

Then Hyde called again. Burk picked up – and suddenly found himself at the center of a debate over the Batavia City School District budget. Fellow board members had split 3-to-3, and Burk’s seventh vote would decide between a contingency budget, and a budget proposal improvised by Hyde.

“Give me about 35 minutes,” Burk said.

Forty minutes later, Burk walked into the board of education meeting on Washington Avenue, visibly out of breath.

Shortly after calling the meeting back into session, Board President Andy Pedro asked if there was any further discussion on the proposal to adopt a contingency plan.

“Well,” Burk deadpanned, “I’d like to see the options first,” receiving a chorus of laughs from the remaining board members.

A bit later in the meeting, Superintendent Margaret Puzio remarked tongue-in-cheek that board members “had all night,” to which Burk cheekily replied: “I’ve been awake since 4:30 a.m., Margaret – make me feel better.” More laughs.

Asked later in the evening about his frantic night, Burk simply stated: “Well, it was the right thing to do.”

(Photo courtesy Batavia City School District)

Hochul declared winner, Corwn concedes, in NY-26 special election

By Howard B. Owens

Even before the Genesee County vote has been counted, the Buffalo News, along with other media outlets, have declared the race for Kathy Hochul.

According to the Buffalo paper's numbers, with 87 percent of the precincts reporting, Hochul has 48 percent of the vote to Corwin's 42 percent. Jack Davis picked up 9 percent and Ian Murphy 1 percent.

Corwin conceded the race shortly after 10 p.m.

It's unclear what will become of the court order Corwin obtained earlier today barring certification of the election results before a court appearance on Thursday.

Photos: Ballots arriving at County Building #2

By Howard B. Owens

At about 9:30 p.m., the first ballot bags arrived at County Building #2.

So far 23 of 48 bags have arrived.

Election results for Genesee County won't be released until all bags are received.

The bags contain ballots and flash cards. The flash cards are fed into a computer and the tally isn't released until all cards have been tabulated.

The Buffalo News is reporting 74 percent of the precincts in the district have reported. Hochul has 48 percent of the vote, Corwin is at 42 percent, Davis at 8 percent and Murphy at 1 percent.

Corwin takes legal action to bar certification of winner in special election

By Howard B. Owens

Supposedly fiscal conservative Jane Corwin has started legal action to tie up today's special election in court before officials have even started to tally ballots.

The Buffalo News reports that Corwin has obtained a court order barring certification of a winner even though there is no evidence to suspect any problem with the count.

It's unclear if any sort of count will proceed tonight (we'll find out as soon as we can).

Corwin's campaign issued this statement:

“We have anticipated a very close election from the start, and the action taken today is standard procedure and very typical in close campaigns. Our campaign’s goal is to ensure that every legal vote cast is properly counted accurately and fairly.” 

UPDATE 7:14 p.m.: I just spoke with Dick Seibert at the Board of Elections, and in between being harried with other tasks, he explained that all machine-cast ballots can be counted and unofficial results can be released, but the court order has barred the board of elections from opening absentee ballots. The board also cannot release results from -- though they can count -- emergency ballots. Emergency ballots are those being printed on copy machines this evening because of heavier than anticipated voter turnout. So far, 200 emergency ballots have been printed, but more as a precaution, Seibert explained, because polling places, while getting low on ballots, had not run out yet.

Polls now open

By Howard B. Owens

Polls opened at 6 a.m. and one poll worker told me turn out has been light so far.

Come on, Genesee County, you can do better.

Go vote. Tell your coworkers, your neighbors, your family, your friends: Go vote.

Vote at lunch. Vote after work. Vote after dinner. Just vote before the polls close at 9 p.m.

The Batavian Challenge: Polls open at 6 a.m., so go vote

By Howard B. Owens

The Board of Election site provides a complete list of polling places in Genesee County.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., so if you're registered to vote, there's pretty much no excuse not to show up at your polling place today.

Even if you're fed up with the race, turned off by the robo calls and the greasy commercials, go vote. Turn in a blank ballot if you must.

This is shaping up to be a VERY tight race. Unlike any congressional race in this area for a long, long time, your vote carries more weight and counts like never before. Don't miss you chance to cast a ballot that really matters. Genesee County voters, especially, could make all of the difference in the race.

Here's the lastest on The Batavian challenge (pledges paid to local charities if Genesee County leads all counties in the NY-26 in voter turn out):

The Batavian, $100 to the Genesee Justice Foundation.

Jeff Allen, $100 to Care-A-Van Ministries.

Dan Jones, $26 dollars to Care-A-Van Ministries and another $26 dollars to the USO.

Dave Olsen, $25 tor GJ and $50 for The Loyola Recovery Foundation.

Joanne Rock has pledged $25 to GJ.

Lorie Longhany, $26 to the Child Advocacy Center wing of Genesee Justice.

Ricky G. Hale, a local plumber, has pledged $100 to Genesee Justice.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman has pledged $1,000 -- with $500 going to the Genesee Justice Foundation and $500 going to Justice For Children GLOW Foundation. Any other members of the legal community like to step forward?

Ken Mistler pledged $100 for Volunteers for Animals.

County Clerk Don Read has pledged $100 for Crossroads House. 

James Renfrew has pledged $50 for Genesee Justice.

Chris Charvella has pledged $50 to Loyola Recovery.

That's more than $1,700 in pledges.  

Genesee County is counting on you to vote today.

Hochul makes campaign stop in Batavia as election nears

By Howard B. Owens

Kathy Hochul made a campaign stop in Batavia today, stopping by Scooter's Family Restaurant on West Main Street.

Geoff Redick, of The Batavian's news partner WBTA, was on hand to snap a couple of pictures and talk with Hochul briefly.

She recently came out ahead of Republican Jane Corwin in a Siena poll – an eyebrow-raiser in New York’s 26th Congressional District race, which has been staunchly Republican in the past. Hochul gives the credit to her campaign.

"People are listening to us – the message is getting out there," Hochul told WBTA. "We've been pounding this message home for weeks. And (residents) want somebody who's a fighter, a very Independent Democrat, and I'm their candidate."

Retiree Art Wilford was sitting down to lunch when Hochul walked in. He thinks she’s got a chance tomorrow.

"I'm normally Republican," he said, "but she's got a nice personality. I don't know her that well, but she seemed to be well-spoken, and suited for the job."

Art says he may even vote for Hochul: "There's a good possibility," he said.

(via WBTA)

NY-26: Vote tomorrow

By Howard B. Owens

Typically, only about 20 to 25 percent of registered voters show up at the polls.

What do you say, Genesee County, should we aim for 30 percent, or higher?

The Batavian "Get Out The Vote" effort is up to more than $1,600 in pledges for various local charities.

If Genesee County leads all counties in the NY-26 in voter turn out, the following donations will be made:

The Batavian, $100 to the Genesee Justice Foundation.

Jeff Allen, $100 to Care-A-Van Ministries.

Dan Jones, $26 dollars to Care-A-Van Ministries and another $26 dollars to the USO.

Dave Olsen, $25 tor GJ and $50 for The Loyola Recovery Foundation.

Joanne Rock has pledge $25 to GJ.

Lorie Longhany, $26 to the Child Advocacy Center wing of Genesee Justice.

Ricky G. Hale, a local plumber, has pledged $100 to Genesee Justice.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman has pledged $1,000 -- with $500 going to the Genesee Justice Foundation and $500 going to Justice For Children GLOW Foundation. Any other members of the legal community like to step forward?

Ken Mistler pledged $100 for Volunteers for Animals.

County Clerk Don Read has pledged $100 for Crossroads House. 

Remember, it doesn't matter who you vote for. You can vote for one of the four candidates on the ballot -- Jane Corwin, Jack Davis, Kathy Hochul or Ian Murphy -- or you can write in Jeff Allen or Joanne Rock. Or you can turn in a blank ballot.  

The important thing is to vote. Do it for Genesee County. Do it for your favorite local charity. Do it for democracy.

Latest ads in the NY-26 race

By Howard B. Owens

Ad from Jack Davis

Ad from Kathy Hochul

And that's all that I could find on YouTube.

For Jack Davis, it's all about saving American jobs

By Howard B. Owens

More than an hour into our chat on Sunday afternoon, Jack Davis looked at my iPhone and said, "That's probably made with Gorilla Glass."

It is.

Davis, founder and president of I Squared R in Akron, then explained that his very first customer was Corning, the inventor of Gorilla Glass.

The recipe for Gorilla Glass -- a very tough, durable type of glass -- sat on a shelf for decades until high-tech electronics such as flat-screen TVs and smart phones needed just such a product.

In order to manufacture the glass, Corning turned to Davis, whose company makes just the kind of silicon carbide heating elements Corning needed to start manufacturing Gorilla Glass for Apple and other companies.

When it came time to ship the elements, Dave found out they were going to Japan.

"It broke my heart," Davis said. "We don’t make those (iPhones) here, we don’t make the TVs, we don’t make flat screens. (The elements are) just another product we ship over there and they can back engineer it and that business will be gone."

Jack Davis is making his fourth attempt at winning a seat in Congress -- this time to replace Shirtless Chris Lee in a NY-26 special election -- for one reason, and one reason only: To save American jobs.

"We have to grow, dig or manufacture to produce wealth," Davis said. "Unless you do that, you’re just growing your debt. We have to make everything we use or consume."

Davis knows Batavia and knows what losing a manufacturing base can do to a community. Among his company's early customers were Sylvania and Doehler Jarvis.

"Batavia has been hit like many of the industrial cities have been," Davis said. "You have a lot of farms, but you did have a big manufacturing base.

"Cities and communities that have lost the jobs are a lot more receptive to my message of saving jobs and getting out of those free trade agreements," he added.

Davis isn't against all trade with foreign countries. He just thinks it should be fair trade. If we trade with another country, he said, that country should buy as much product from the U.S. as we buy from them. If not, they get slapped with a tariff on the difference.

A tariff that targets trade imbalance, he said, would address the uncompetitive practices of countries such as China, where the Yuan is artificially lowered by 40 percent against the dollar.

“Give the guy down the street a 40-percent advantage on you and you’re screwed," Davis said.

On top of that, the Chinese government gives its own corporations tax breaks not available to U.S. manufacturers and labor is 1/20th the cost that in the United States.

The U.S. needs to level the playing field, Davis said.

"There are plenty of entrepreneurs left in this country," Davis said. "Right now they're spending money overseas, rather than in this county, but if given a level playing field, they will come back."

Bring up just about any topic with Davis, and the conversation soon turns back to jobs and fair trade.

Asked about how he could help counties such as Genesee address its crumbling infrastructure problem, he said the solution is jobs, just as it is for most of the problems in the United States.

"Obama shouldn’t be talking about cutting services and increasing taxes," Davis said. "He should be addressing this trade imbalance. We have about $2 billion per day going overseas. That’s our wealth going off shore. Until that’s addressed, we’re going to continue to have problems, problems with Social Security, problems with Medicare, problems with the budget, problems with the deficit."

And if that wealth continues to flow overseas, Davis said, eventually China is going to own the United States.

"I’m a patriot. I love America," Davis said. "I see what’s happening to it. I think  what kind of future are we leaving our children? We’ve got a $14 trillion national debt, half of it’s owed to the Asians, and if we’re not manufacturing anything, we have no way to pay this debt, so they’re going to own America."

He says once the Chinese own all the multinational companies, they'll also own all the lobbyists in Washington.

“We already know (the government) is for sale to the highest bidder and the Chinese are going to have all the money," he said.

Davis came to his anti-unfettered trade position through 56 years of working in international trade, he said, and seeing more and more companies that he did business with shipping jobs overseas.

He didn't think, and still doesn't believe, that's a sustainable path for the United States.

And he doesn't buy the pro-free trade arguments that globalization of trade benefits the United States, too. The U.S. won't have anything to trade, he points out, if all of the manufacturing plants -- as 53,000 of them have already done -- keep shutting down.

In pointing to my iPhone, he raised the issue that even new technology depends on products manufactured in the United States. His heating elements are used not only for Gorilla Glass, but for manufacturing all sorts of flat glass, from window panes in skyscrapers to the windshields of cars as well as an essential tool for manufacturing solar cells.

The high-tech industry needs a strong manufacturing base in the United States to remain competitive globally.

"There was one guy, I think he was with the Commerce Department, who said there’s no difference between computer chips and potato chips and I’m like, 'Man, how stupid can you be?'" Davis said.

Davis believes both the Republicans and Democrats are selling out the United States. Both parties are beholding to the multinational corporations and even big labor -- traditionally a stalwart in the Democratic corner protecting American jobs -- has sold out the American worker. Their national leaders in Washington, he said, are more interested in organizing in foreign countries now.

"The managers for these large multinationals, they’re not loyal to America," Davis said. "They’re loyal to their stockholders and they’ll just take their business to the cheaper place to manufacture with no thought of American workers. They have all the advantages of being in America, but they’re not taking care of it."

Toward the end of our conversation, Davis talked more about the campaign. 

He is disappointed most of all in the Republicans.

He said he registered Republican when he first could vote. He's voted for Eisenhower, Reagan and both Bushes. He's given the Republicans money, and now they just lie about him.

"To have them come after me so viciously and tell so many lies about me, it was a big, big disappointment," he said. 

"I always thought they were the integrity party," he added. "They’re the party of the thugs. They even sent a thug after me."  (A reference to Jane Corwin's chief of staff, Michael Mallia, harassing Davis following a veterans' event in Greece, allegedly calling the former Marine a "coward" (a charge the Corwin campaign has made no attempt to refute.))

But even as some polls show Davis losing ground and coming in third, he's not giving up the fight. It's too important to him. He clearly thinks he's needed in Washington to save American jobs, even if Washington doesn't seem to want him.

"The lobbyists, they don’t want me in Washington, because I’m going to make changes," Davis said. "When I get there, I’ll be one of 435, but I will probably have the biggest mouth. I’m going to call these people out and they don’t like that."

NOTE: We were previously privileged to have Kathy Hochul visit The Batavian. Jane Corwin has been invited numerous times but has pretty much ignored the invitation. Ian Murphy was invited, but said he didn't have a car to make the trip to Batavia.

Questions for the candidates: Intellectual life

By Howard B. Owens

As part of our ongoing series of questions for candidates, we close with questions about "intellectual life."

From my perspective, to be qualified for office, it's not just about your policy positions, it's also about what you know, how you think and how you learn, because elected officials are asked to deal with problems that aren't always easily grasped by political ideology. Being intellectually curious is important to any job that's essentially a job of the mind.

The deadline for questions was Thursday at 11 a.m. None of the candidates, perhaps understandably, met the deadline. Kathy Hochul and Ian Murphy turned in answers Thursday evening.

In effort to get answers from either Jane Corwin or Jack Davis, I waited until Friday afternoon to post the questions and answers, but then we had a big breaking news story.

Jack eventually turned in partial answers. Jane Corwin, despite repeated calls and emails to Matthew Harakal, including one conversation in which he promised the answers "soon," we have yet to receive any answers. We requested them again today.

Below are the questions, after the jump, answers in the order received.

Perhaps write-in candidates Jeff Allen and JoAnne Rock would like to provide their answers in the comments.

What three books first published in the past 100 years have been most meaningful to you?

Name your three favorite songwriters and pick one song from one of those writers and tell us what that song has meant to you?

If you were asked to read a poem on the floor of the House of Representatives, what poem would it be and why?

Tell us about a museum you’ve visited any time in your life and how it had a lasting impact on your intellectual life or imagination.

Who is your favorite Western New York writer, musician or artist (any genre/style/medium)?

Do you have any hidden artistic talent? What is it (sing, draw, photography, etc.)?  If not, is there anything along those lines you aspire to -- ‘I really wish I could .... ?’

Kathy Hochul:

Q: What three books first published in the past 100 years have been most meaningful to you?

A: The three books that have been most meaningful to me are “American Tragedy” by Theodore Dreiser, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, and “Profiles in Courage” by John F. Kennedy.

Q: Name your three favorite songwriters and pick one song from one of those writers and tell us what that song has meant to you?

A: I actually have four favorite songwriters - Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, The Goo Goo Dolls, and Simon & Garfunkel. Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” always reminds me of people less fortunate who don’t have a voice.

Q: If you were asked to read a poem on the floor of the House of Representatives, what poem would it be and why?

A: I would read “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. I have an independent streak and identify with the individualism of the poem.

Q: Tell us about a museum you’ve visited any time in your life and how it had a lasting impact on your intellectual life or imagination?

A: When I was 10-years-old I visited the National Archives on a trip to Washington with my family. I remember seeing the Constitution and The Declaration of Independence and being inspired by the tremendous challenges faced by our forefathers as they created the foundation for our country.

Q: Who is your favorite Western New York writer, musician or artist (any genre/style/medium)?

A: My favorite Western New York playwright is Tom Dudzick, who wrote the “Over the Tavern” series.

Q: Do you have any hidden artistic talent? What is it (sing, draw, photography, etc? If not, is there anything along those lines you aspire—‘I really wish I could…?’

A: I aspire to write short stories about the lives of the fascinating people I have come to meet in my life.

Ian Murphy:

What three books first published in the past 100 years have been most meaningful to you?

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn, The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins, and Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein.

Name your three favorite songwriters and pick one song from one of those writers and tell us what that song has meant to you?

Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, and Tampa Red. Anything by Tampa Red means something to me because he plays the kazoo. There has never been a more perfect folk instrument than the kazoo.

If you were asked to read a poem on the floor of the House of Representatives, what poem would it be and why?

I would read Carl Sandburg's I Am the People, the Mob:

I am the people—the mob—the crowd—the mass.

Do you know that all the great work of the world is done through me?
I am the workingman, the inventor, the maker of the world’s food and clothes.
I am the audience that witnesses history. The Napoleons come from me and the Lincolns. They die. And then I send forth more Napoleons and Lincolns.
I am the seed ground. I am a prairie that will stand for much plowing. Terrible storms pass over me. I forget. The best of me is sucked out and wasted. I forget. Everything but Death comes to me and makes me work and give up what I have. And I forget.
Sometimes I growl, shake myself and spatter a few red drops for history to remember. Then—I forget.
When I, the People, learn to remember, when I, the People, use the lessons of yesterday and no longer forget who robbed me last year, who played me for a fool—then there will be no speaker in all the world say the name: “The People,” with any fleck of a sneer in his voice or any far-off smile of derision.
The mob—the crowd—the mass—will arrive then.

 ----

I'd read that piece to remind all the corporate flunkies who they really work for, and to remind the American people that they are ultimately in charge.

Tell us about a museum you’ve visited any time in your life and how it had a lasting impact on your intellectual life or imagination.

The Kazoo Museum in Eden, NY, sparked my life-long appreciation for the kazoo.

Who is your favorite Western New York writer, musician or artist (any genre/style/medium)?

Folk-blues singer Jackson C. Frank.

Do you have any hidden artistic talent?  What is it (sing, draw, photography, etc.)?  If not, is there anything along those lines you aspire to -- ‘I really wish I could .... ?’

I really wish I could play the kazoo.

Jack Davis

What three books first published in the past 100 years have been most meaningful to you?

Atlas Shrugged, the engineering textbook from UB are the first two. I'll get back to you on the third.

Do you have any hidden artistic talent?  What is it (sing, draw, photography, etc.)?  If not, is there anything along those lines you aspire to -- ‘I really wish I could .... ?’

I play trombone. (Though I admit I'm a bit out of practice.)

Photos 'Bowser' at 400 Towers

By Howard B. Owens

Jon "Bowzer" Bauman, star of Sha-Na-Na, stopped by 400 Towers on Friday evening to talk with residents about Medicare, Social Security and his career in music and television.

Though Bauman's appearance was sponsored by Kathy Hochul, his talk was pretty non-political. Bauman mostly stuck to the facts of the programs and proposals, at least as he sees them.

Above, Bea McManis escorts Bauman into 400 Towers as Bauman displays Bowzer's trademark muscle flex.


Davis campaign claims its own poll shows Corwin falling to third

By Howard B. Owens

The Jack Davis campaign is claiming that their own polling numbers show Kathy Hochul ahead in the NY-26 special election race with Jane Corwin coming in a distant third.

In the words of the Davis campaign press release, "it appears support for Jane Corwin is collapsing."

The Davis campaign claims that Corwin's numbers have dropped to 17 percent, with Hochul polling 44 percent. Davis, in the Davis poll, is at 27 percent.

According to the press release, 4,602 "frequent voters" were surveyed. The poll was conducted between May 18 and May 19.

Seventeen percent were undecided.

From the press release:

“It’s clear that if conservatives, Republicans and Tea Party patriots want to keep Kathy Hochul, a Nancy Pelosi Democrat, from representing this district, they must vote for Jack Davis,” said Jack Davis campaign manager Curtis Ellis.

Late last night, I emailed both the Corwin and Hochul campaigns for a response.

Fabien Levy, with Kathy Hochul, replied but has not provided a response for publication yet and we haven't heard from Matthew Harakal with Jane Corwin's campaign at all. This post will be updated with any responses.

UPDATE 8:16 a.m.: Statement from Levy: "Every poll shows Kathy Hochul garnering the support of more and more voters in the 26th District. Voters here know Kathy is the only candidate in this race fighting to protect both Social Security and Medicare, which is why they are running away from her two conservatives opponents."

The Batavian Challenge: An election in the national spotlight

By Howard B. Owens

Three or four years ago I was in Washington, D.C. to speak at some journalism conference and I stopped into the office of Reason, the libertarian magazine. A good friend of mine, Matt Welch, had recently moved to D.C. to become editor-in-chief of Reason.

I ended up going to dinner with the entire Reason crew, which included, at the time Dave Weigel, which is how we met.

Dave is now a national political correspondent for Slate Magazine (an online magazine).

Because of a piece Dave did about Jack Davis, I figured out that Dave was apparently hanging out in WNY. I got in touch with Dave and said, "You really need to come out to Batavia, the heartland of the district."

Late yesterday afternoon, I got a call from Dave. He was on his way to Rochester for yet another dreary campaign event but decided his limited amount of time might be better spent in Batavia.

I called Bill Kauffman, Elba resident, nationally known political/history author and former Reason editor, and it was agreed we'd all meet at O'Lacy's (I would have loved to have taken Dave around to more places and shown him more of the town (though I did show him our "urban renewal" project), but he was on a tight schedule.

Dave interviewed co-owner Kent Ewell, above. Below center is Bill Dougherty with Bill Kauffman.

That's a long way of saying -- yup, the eyes of the nation are on the NY-26.

And our goal is to get the people in Genesee County out to vote on May 24. Let's show the nation we care about who is elected to represent us.

It's a close special election, every vote counts, so vote.

If Genesee County leads the district in voter turn out, The Batavian will donate $100 to Genesee Justice.  

Other pledges made so far: 

Jeff Allen has offered to match it with $100 to Care-A-Van Ministries; Dan Jones has offered to match it with $26 dollars to Care-A-Van ministries and another $26 dollars to the USO; and Dave Olsen is offer a $25 matching donation for GJ plus donate $50 to The Loyola Recovery Foundation.

Lorie Longhany has pledged $26 to the Child Advocacy Center wing of Genesee Justice; Ricky G. Hale, a local plumber, has pledged $100 to Genesee Justice and challenged other business owners to step forward with pledges; JoAnne Rock has pledged $25 to Genesee Justice.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman has pledged $1,000 -- with $500 going to the Genesee Justice Foundation and $500 going to Justice For Children GLOW Foundation. Any other members of the legal community like to step forward?

Ken Mistler pledged $100 for Volunteers for Animals.

County Clerk Don Read has pledged $100 for Crossroads House. 

In round numbers, we're up to $1,650 in donations. Who wants to step forward today and make it $2,000?

 

Corwin's campaign announces robo call by Florida senator

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

WILLIAMSVILLE – Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a leading force in the national debate to cut spending and reduce taxes, endorsed Jane Corwin for Congress today. Senator Rubio also called 60,000 homes across Western New York to ask that they support Jane Corwin in the May 24th Special Election for New York’s 26th Congressional District.

“Marco Rubio is leading the fight in Washington to cut spending, reduce taxes, and create private sector jobs in our communities,” Corwin said. “Senator Rubio and I understand that our country is at a crossroads, and I appreciate him talking to Western New York voters to discuss our shared goal to improve the fiscal situation for current and future generations.”

Script of the Call:

This is Senator Marco Rubio with a short but important message. DC needs strong conservatives like Jane Corwin. We have changed the debate, we are moving in the right direction but we are in the middle of the fight. Jane Corwin will be a voice we need to keep that momentum up. Join me in supporting Jane and please go vote this coming Tuesday, May 24th in the Special Election. It is CRITICAL. Thank you so much for your time.

NY-26 race link round up

By Howard B. Owens

Coverage from the past view days from around the nation of the NY-26 special election race (remember to vote on May 24).

UPDATE: This just out, a profile of Davis by Dave Weigel for Slate. The Human Torch: Jack Davis personifies the Tea Party. Is that why Republicans are so afraid of him?

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