Democrats hold upstate New York U.S. Congress seat in special election

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Democratic authorities Sen. Timothy Kennedy connected Tuesday won a peculiar predetermination for the New York legislature spot vacated by Democrat Brian Higgins.

Kennedy easy bushed Republican Gary Dickson for the upstate New York seat, helped by a 2-to-1 Democratic registration vantage successful the district, which includes Buffalo, Niagara Falls and respective suburbs.

Kennedy has been successful the authorities Senate since 2011. Describing Washington arsenic "chaotic and dysfunctional," helium said helium said that successful Congress, he'd absorption connected reproductive rights, migration and stronger weapon laws similar those passed successful New York aft a 2022 wide shooting astatine a Buffalo supermarket.

"We request to elite pro-democracy, anti-MAGA candidates each astir the state this November," Kennedy said successful a triumph speech, "and it starts present successful this country successful Buffalo, New York, tonight."

Registration wasn't Kennedy's lone advantage. The Democrat raised $1.7 cardinal arsenic of April 10, compared with Dickson's $35,430 total, according to campaign concern reports. Kennedy spent conscionable implicit $1 cardinal successful the off-season election, compared with $21,000 for Dickson arsenic the candidates worked to punctual voters to spell to the polls.

Kennedy volition service successful Congress for the remainder of the year. He is connected the ballot, on with Republican lawyer Anthony Marecki, for the wide predetermination this fall. On Tuesday, erstwhile municipality supervisor Nate McMurray, who planned to situation Kennedy successful a Democratic superior successful June, said successful a societal media station that elections officials had removed him from the ballot due to the fact that of insufficient signatures.

Earlier this year, the GOP's slim House bulk was narrowed successful a intimately contested Long Island-area peculiar predetermination that followed New York Republican George Santos' expulsion from Congress. That race, won by Democrat Tom Suozzi, was viewed arsenic a trial of the parties' wide predetermination strategies connected migration and abortion.

Dickson, a retired FBI peculiar agent, acknowledged the challenges of moving successful the upstate territory erstwhile helium announced his candidacy astatine the extremity of February, saying helium was successful the contention to springiness voters a choice. He said helium supports Trump arsenic the Republican nominee for president but described his ain authorities arsenic "more towards the center."

After conceding the race, Dickson told supporters helium had nary regrets astir running.

Voting took spot with Trump connected proceedings successful New York City successful the archetypal transgression proceedings of a erstwhile American president and the archetypal of 4 prosecutions of Trump to scope a jury.