BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo residents are faced with one of the most contested Common Council primary races in years with five seats up for grabs two of which are guaranteed to have new faces.
The most contested race in the city features four candidates vying for the Ellicott District Council seat, which is being vacated by current Council President Darius Pridgen who is not seeking re-election.
The candidates are Leah Halton-Pope, Matt Dearing, Emin 'Eddie' Egriu, and Cedric Holloway.
Halton-Pope has Pridgen's backing and 10 years of experience as senior advisor to New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.
“I'm the only one who has those relationships on the city, the state, the federal, and even the county level that could bring a new voice to the district,” said Halton-Pope.
She told 2 On Your Side that investing in affordable housing through private-public partnerships, improving streets, and other basic infrastructure, as well as increasing neighborhood economic development are some of her priorities.
“My desires and my platform seem to match with the district as a whole whether you're on the west side or the east side of the Main Street,” Halton-Pope said.
According to campaign finance reports filed with the state board of elections, Halton-Pope’s Campaign has significantly outraised her opponents, earning her nearly $66,000 at the last filing.
$39,000 of that total came from donors outside of the City of Buffalo and of that, $24,000 came from beyond Western New York mainly Albany.
Cedric Holloway is a retired Buffalo Police Officer and the current director of the Johnny B. Wiley Sports Pavilion.
“I'm not a part of a machine, a crew or clique, I'm a part of my community and that’s who a councilmember needs to represent,” said Holloway.
He told 2 On Your Side that investing in minority-owned businesses and supporting youth engagement initiatives would be priorities if elected. Holloway believes his community connection having grown up in the Ellicott District will be what propels him to victory.
This is the first election however where the Ellicott District includes each part of the Elmwood Village, Downtown, Pratt-Willert, the Fruit Belt, and Masten Park after it was redistricted last year.
“We need fair and equitable development throughout the district, more affordable housing for folks,” Holloway added.
Holloway’s Campaign has raised $13,309 according to financial reports from the state board of elections. The vast majority of donations were made by Buffalo neighbors.
Fresh off his challenge of Congressman Brian Higgins, Emin 'Eddie' Egriu believes he is the right candidate to take on the political establishment in the city.
Egriu is a longtime businessman, an active supporter of the city's refugee community, and calls himself the champion of being an outsider. Although Egriu is not an outsider to running for public office having done so many times.
“To be a good representative it's not them [the establishment] you need to be good with it's the people you need to be good with,” Egriu told 2 On Your Side.
Egriu supports efforts to cover the Kensington Expressway and restore the Olmstead Park System, and wants to see investments in affordable housing across the district and the Jefferson Avenue corridor.
“I want to develop it, not just for the big boys I want to develop it with the local community that's been there all these years, I want them to get the assets they need to develop it,” Egriu said.
As our partners at Investigative Post reported last week Egriu does not appear to have filed any campaign finance disclosures this political cycle, though he has yard signs posted around the district.
Lastly, Matt Dearing who was recently endorsed by the Buffalo News Editorial Board in the Ellicott District primary race is a newcomer candidate.
He has been a community organizer in the city and was a staffer for Assemblyman Patrick Burke before a contentious departure. Dearing thinks he’d bring a new perspective to the council, however.
“I think the culture and the politics here needs to change it's too walled off it's not accessible enough,” he said.
Dearing has already secured the endorsement of the Working Families Party so regardless of the Primary Day outcome, he will be on the ballot in November.
If elected he’d prioritize rebuilding the city's economic and social service structure, write a “new deal” for the east side and invest in affordable housing.
“The issues of housing, food, and access are intertwined and I think you need someone who has a plan to fix the gears and change how the system works,” Dearing added.
The first-time candidate has raised about $14,000, which includes $6,000 of his own money loaned to his campaign.
For those looking to identify whether they are voting in a primary race in Erie County on Tuesday, June 26 click here.