BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Common Council member Ulysees Wingo announced Saturday that he will not seek re-election.
Wingo represents the Masten District.
He made the announcement at the Masten District's monthly breakfast Saturday morning at the Delavan Grider Community Center.
"I am not running for re-election," he said, and the crowd was in shock. "I have been given an offer by an organization to do the work that I am doing right now on a more personal level."
India Walton announced that she is running for that district seat. She was at the morning event and spoke with 2 On Your Side about Wingo's announcement.
"I spoke with him last week for a good hour, and he said he was running again, so I don't know what changed between now and then. But I think that it's a good decision, and there's time to make way for new ideas," Walton said.
Another potential candidate is Zeneta Everhart, mother a 5/14 Tops shooting victim and lifelong Masten district resident. She is expected to make an announcement very soon.
Everhart told 2 On Your Side she "has an exciting announcement coming this week."
When asked about the two women, Wingo said "one of them will receive my endorsement later on, after they've shown the community what they can do, what things they want to bring to the community and residents."
Wingo urged anyone running for office in the Masten district to run an honorable campaign.
"My appeal is to keep it classy, keep it clean, be respectful," he said.
Wingo also serves as pastor of Antioch Baptist Church on Fillmore Avenue in Buffalo.