BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Representative Christopher Collins (R-NY 27) says he will likely decide by the end of the year whether to seek another two year term in the House of Representatives.
“I’m in no hurry,” Collins told reporters on Grand Island Tuesday.
Collins recently donated $500,000 of his own money to his campaign.
“I want people to know that if I decide to run, my campaign will be properly funded,” said Collins, who noted that his prior campaigns for Congress and Erie County Executive have been largely self financed.
However, Collins conceded that donations have been harder to come by since his indictment last August on federal insider trading charges.
“I'm not going to downplay the issue where unfortunately there are those that say if you are charged with something you must be guilty. As a result of jumping to that conclusion, they are sometimes reluctant to put money in," said Collins, who hastened to add that he did not begin seeking donations until a month or so ago.
Collins is scheduled to face trial next February on the charges filed against him, and once again predicted he would be exonerated.
“I’ve committed no crimes,” the Congressman said.
Following his indictment, Collins briefly suspended his re-election campaign, but then resumed campaigning after declining to drop out of the race so that GOP leaders could find another candidate in time to get them on the ballot.
Collins eventually won re-election by a narrow margin over Democrat Nate McMurray.
In the meantime, two republicans have officially announced their intent to wage a primary against Collins for the Republican party nomination in NY-27.
They are NYS Senator Chris Jacobs of Buffalo and attorney Beth Parlato.
