James Banks

James Banks says he's just an average grandfather from Western New York who wants to see if somebody who is just a regular guy can get elected to represent all of the 27th Congressional District, not just a favored portion of it, or if monied-interests will win out again.

He's running a low-key campaign to try to upset Chris Collins in the NY-27 primary.

He stopped in Batavia today to discuss his nascent campaign and political ambitions.

Banks has nothing against Collins personally, though he does believe he could represent the district better in Washington.

"I think Mr. Collins is a great businessman," Banks said. "As such, he's a risk taker. I have great respect for him. He was a great county executive in Erie County. He's a family man. I have no personal conflict with Mr. Collins all."

However ... 

"He has seemed to indicate that he does not have an obligation to be responsive to his constituents in terms of holding a town hall or some kind of communication, regular communication work, where he's going to hear the good and the bad and the ugly," Banks said, "where he can just realize that it's people not trying to attack him personally but just trying to participate in government."

Banks is a lifelong Republican from Lancaster who voted for Ronald Reagan when he cast his first presidential ballot in 1980. He's worked in industrial sales for 25 years, which has enabled him to travel extensively throughout WNY so he knows the district well, he said. 

This is his first attempt to win public office.

On policies, he describes himself as a fiscal conservative.

"I think the debt that we have incurred is a great danger to our country and that it ought to be addressed and, really, brought under control," Banks said. "How we do that? I don't pretend to have all the answers but I would make that a priority."

He also favors free trade.

"I'm a free market capitalist," Banks said. "I think that the approach of alienating many of our best customers around the world is a little bit shortsighted. As a salesman, I'm always looking for more customers, not fewer customers."

He doesn't oppose a border wall if officials conclude that's the best way to secure our borders, but he recognizes that immigrants built this country and there should be a place for them in 21st Century America.

"I went down to Journeys End Refugee Services in Buffalo, which has been there a long time bringing legal immigrants into the country and helping them set up a new life," Banks said. "I can't even imagine the places that these people came from.

"When you hear about the stories of Rwanda, South Sudan, and I've met people from Pakistan, from Iraq, I can't even imagine what those people have gone through to get to America.

"I think we should be more welcoming. And I think it's good economics.

"At the end of the day you get great people coming in who may look a little bit different than you or have different beliefs, but you all share the core beliefs that you love your family, you love your community. You love your state you love your country."

He's not interested in making decisions for other people on how they live their lives.

On abortion, he said, "I've actually read the opinion, Roe versus Wade and I've kind of weighed that against the 14th Amendment, which protects citizens and persons. So it's a tough question, but I'm not the guy who's going to go to a young lady in distress and try to lecture her on the most difficult choice she can ever be faced with. That is best left to her, her parents, her preacher, her doctor, her relationship with God."

On gay rights, he said, "It's really none of my business. I'm concerned with myself and my own relationship with my wife of 35 years."

He does think we should watch over our environment.

"I think it's a no-brainer that if we don't have a healthy environment to live in, then basically nothing else matters," he said. "I'm not a climate fanatic but I I try to do my part in terms of recycling. But it's a huge mistake and to deny that we have challenges -- that is foolish."

He is a fan of the beauty of Western New York and he isn't a fan of people on the national stage who run it down.

"When you look at Clarence, Orchard Park, Hamburg, the suburbs around Rochester, the Finger Lakes, this is an awesome place to live," Banks said. "When I hear a presidential candidate, as in the last election besmirching our home by saying Western New York is a disaster or Upstate New York is a disaster -- just look at Buffalo look at Rochester, look at Syracuse look at Albany, it's a disaster, I kind of take that personally.

"You know this is my home. It's your home. Do we have problems? Absolutely. Should we work together to solve them? Yes. I have no doubt, you know, but it is far from a disaster."

Banks hasn't formally announced his candidacy yet. He is looking for volunteers to help pass around petitions so he can qualify for the primary ballot. Banks said he can be contacted through the LinkedIn page he's set up for the campaign.