BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The NY-26 special election is just days away.
The candidates, Democrat Tim Kennedy and Republican Gary Dickson, debated on News 4 on Wednesday night.
State Senator Tim Kennedy has been in his current role since January 2011. He got the nod over former Grand Island Town Supervisor Nate McMurray, although McMurray is running against Kennedy in the primary for the general election in November.
West Seneca Town Supervisor Gary Dickson is running on the Republican ticket. Dickson is a U.S. Army veteran who also spent 27 years with the FBI. He has been a community leader in West Seneca since he retired from law enforcement in 2015.
Dickson said that President Biden has the authority to pass immigration legislation, but he is just not doing it. He added that if the president says he is doing all he can to keep people from coming into the country illegally, he will support additional resources.
Kennedy said that there is a bipartisan bill that is waiting for the House of Representatives, but Republicans are saying the bill is "dead on arrival" and will not read it. He said he wanted to pass the bill and invest in border patrol to help asylum seekers.
Kennedy said that he will work to create more jobs across Western New York.
Dickson said that overspending and too much debt on the state and federal levels of government is the cause of inflation. He said that "sending someone who can't control a state budget to the national level is, to me, nonsensical. He added that he did not increase taxes in four years as town supervisor.
Dickson said that the affordable housing crisis is caused by excessive regulation by state and local municipalities. Kennedy said that more investment into communities and housing is needed in order to create more affordable housing for all.
Kennedy said that the federal government needs to codify a woman's right to choose and blamed the Supreme Court for taking away abortion rights.
Dickson, meanwhile, said that he is pro-life and that laws on abortion should be decided at the state level. He said that he would not vote either way on changes to abortion laws.
Both candidates agreed that the United States should support Israel in the Hamas conflict.
Kennedy said that the U.S. needs to play a role as "peacemaker" in the Middle East. In terms of protests on college campuses, he said that the government needs to make sure campuses are safe, but people have a right to protest.
Dickson said that the protests "are not peaceful demonstrations" and called for foreign students taking part in them to be deported, while American students be suspended or expelled if they take part in violent performances.
Kennedy said that Brian Higgins, Western New York's former Congressman, was a mentor to him who transformed the community for the better. He said that he will support continued investment into the economy.
Dickson stated that the state is losing population and business, they need to worry about crime, migration and the economy. He said that he wants to lower taxes and decrease government regulation in business.
Early voting has already begun in preparation for the election on Tuesday. The general election for the seat will take place on Nov. 5, with the winner earning a two-year term beginning on Jan. 3, 2025.
The candidates are vying to replace Higgins, who resigned in February to take the job as president of Shea's Performing Arts Center. Higgins had represented Western New York in Congress since 2005.
New York’s 26th Congressional District represents Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, among other municipalities.
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.
