State Senator Robert Ortt, who announced last summer he planned to run for New York's 27th congressional seat, is pulling out of the race.
His office confirmed to 2 On Your Side that he is out of the running in the NY-27 race and will run for re-election to the New York State Senate.
The seat was vacated by former Congressman Chris Collins, who resigned shortly before he pleaded guilty to insider trading and lying to the FBI. Collins was sentenced to prison last month.
Ortt was not chosen by Western New York Republican chairs to face Democrat Nate McMurray in the special election for the seat, but could have run in the primary for the general election in November. McMurray will face State Senator Chris Jacobs instead.
Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday issued a proclamation setting April 28th as the date to fill the seat. You can read the complete text of Governor Cuomo's proclamation here.
The 27th district includes all of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, and Livingston counties and parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, and Ontario counties.