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File: Timothy Kennedy, D-Buffalo, speaks successful nan Senate Chamber astatine nan authorities Capitol during nan past time of nan legislative convention connected Wednesday, June 21, 2017, successful Albany, N.Y.
Hans Pennink / AP
Democratic authorities Sen. Timothy Kennedy connected Tuesday won a typical predetermination for nan New York legislature spot vacated by Democrat Brian Higgins.
Kennedy easy hit Republican Gary Dickson for nan upstate New York seat, helped by a 2-to-1 Democratic registration advantage successful nan district, which includes Buffalo, Niagara Falls and respective suburbs.
Kennedy has been successful nan authorities Senate since 2011. Describing Washington arsenic "chaotic and dysfunctional," he said he said that successful Congress, he'd attraction connected reproductive rights, migration and stronger weapon laws for illustration 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 nan state this November," Kennedy said successful a triumph speech, "and it starts present successful this room successful Buffalo, New York, tonight."
Registration wasn't Kennedy's only advantage. The Democrat raised $1.7 cardinal arsenic of April 10, compared pinch Dickson's $35,430 total, according to campaign finance reports. Kennedy spent conscionable complete $1 cardinal successful nan off-season election, compared pinch $21,000 for Dickson arsenic nan candidates worked to punctual voters to spell to nan polls.
Kennedy will service successful Congress for nan remainder of nan year. He is connected nan ballot, on pinch Republican lawyer Anthony Marecki, for nan 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 nan ballot because of insufficient signatures.
Earlier this year, nan GOP's slim House mostly was narrowed successful a intimately contested Long Island-area typical predetermination that followed New York Republican George Santos' expulsion from Congress. That race, won by Democrat Tom Suozzi, was viewed arsenic a trial of nan parties' wide predetermination strategies connected migration and abortion.
Dickson, a retired FBI typical agent, acknowledged nan challenges of moving successful nan upstate territory erstwhile he announced his candidacy astatine nan extremity of February, saying he was successful nan title to springiness voters a choice. He said he supports Trump arsenic nan Republican nominee for president but described his ain authorities arsenic "more towards nan center."
After conceding nan race, Dickson told supporters he had nary regrets astir running.
Voting took spot pinch Trump connected proceedings successful New York City successful nan first criminal proceedings of a erstwhile American president and nan first of 4 prosecutions of Trump to scope a jury.
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