Buffalo, NY - The Comeback Kid

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Buffalo DSA/Working Families Party-endorsed India Walton wins Early Voting 56-42 (Mayor Byron Brown)-3 (Le'Candice Durham), in quite an upset!

Brown has been Mayor of Buffalo since 2006, and often considered as a growing star in NYS politics, but has passed on opportunities such as running for Governor, Senate, or for President.

Republicans typically never run in the general election, however, India Walton has received the nomination from the Working Families Party. If she can't pull off the upset tonight, she'll face (presumably) Byron Brown in the November general election.

Personal anecdote, but, I've seen LOTS of support for Walton around the city, more than any opponent of Brown's in recent memory. Durham is viewed as a sort of spoiler candidate, gaining ballot access through her connections as a city hall staffer. Brown's campaign has relied on a lot of financial support from the typical billionaire/developer types, including some avid supporters of Trump.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

First set of votes released, Walton still holding a strong upset at 54-43 (Brown)-3 (Durham) with 4% in.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

5% in, Brown slowly moving up. 53-44-3, Walton still holding the upset.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

41% - 50-47-3, Walton.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

55% - 51-46-3, Walton.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1407513961000538112

[NYSforKennedy2024]

That’s nice, now if only change can come to Syracuse.

I regret to inform you Buffalo's conservatives will likely be fleeing to cities such as Syracuse in the coming years.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

With 79% in, India Walton is still leading!

https://twitter.com/FrankLukacovic/status/1407521838675251200

[NYSforKennedy2024]

https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1407523310771056640

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Huff Post's George Zornick calls it for India Walton!

https://twitter.com/gzornick/status/1407526507870883843

[NYSforKennedy2024]

https://twitter.com/gzornick/status/1407527359184506880

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Gravel Institute calls it for India Walton.

https://twitter.com/GravelInstitute/status/1407528430594412549

[NYSforKennedy2024]

https://twitter.com/Ali2e/status/1407530918743511040

[NYSforKennedy2024]

YES!!! I'm a new Buffalo resident and happily voted for India, even though I'd not consider myself anything close to a socialist. This is exactly why:

Apparently he attempted to sleepwalk to victory, which might have been part of the reason for the upset.

Byron did not participate in mayoral debates. Byron did not campaign. Byron's campaign site was basically, "hello, I am Byron Brown, the mayor of Buffalo". I could not tell you Byron's campaign platform because it did not seem to exist (I tried to look). One of the biggest political debates in Buffalo right now is over speed cameras (which is a whole thing that I won't get into). When the Common Council passed two bills trying to abolish them, Byron (1) got the first one voided on a technicality so he didn't have to take a position on the cameras, and (2) let the second one slide into law without signing it or vetoing it so he didn't have take a position on the cameras. Again, this is a huge issue in Buffalo, and rather than taking a side, he tried to cower.

Welcome to the 716!

[NYSforKennedy2024]

I realize this is an off-year mayoral primary and that's not likely to have high turnout, and further that the City of Buffalo itself is not that large. Still I'm Amazed that this race had barely 20,000 voters.

NY has been fully reopened for a few weeks now, but things still aren't back to normal fully yet, at least here in Buffalo. A lot of people still chilling at home.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

https://twitter.com/fresheralert_in/status/1409622383879614466

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This is looking like it's going to be the sequel to Street Fight.

https://twitter.com/abbyfridmannTV/status/1409619634442031109

[NYSforKennedy2024]

There is currently no write-in Conservative/Republican.

On the contrary to most though, I think Brown will pull off the upset.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Walton had already secured the Working Families Party line and openly told the public she would run against Byron in November if she had lost the primary.

I don't understand the outrage. (and I say this as someone happy for India)

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Local Republican, QAnon Youtuber, and failed Assembly candidate Jaz Miles has launched a write-in campaign.

Miles has already canvassed the city, and reportedly is filming commercials soon.

The race is now Walton (D, WF) vs. Brown (I) vs. Miles (I), with several people still rumored to be considering campaigns such as Joel Giambra and Joel Feroleto.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Local Republican and failed Assembly candidate Jaz Miles has launched a write-in campaign.

Miles has already canvassed the city, and reportedly is filming commercials soon.

The race is now Walton (D, WF) vs. Brown (I) vs. Miles (I), with several people still rumored to be considering campaigns such as Joel Giambra and Joel Feroleto.

Wouldn't that just increase the odds of Walton winning?

Yes, and as such the Buffalo GOP has actually disavowed him. Just found that he's a staunch QAnon fan also.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Tossup -> likely Brown.

Like I said before the ballot bit is the main thing holding him back and with that gone (is that even a write in at this point?) he’s likely to cruise to victory.

Buffalo here. Massive rise for support for Brown in the city. He's throwing everything he has at this and I would now consider him the favorite.

Also, local Democratic attorney Ben Carlisle, and Republican William O'Dell have also joined the race as write-in candidates.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

I agree with Sawx that the judge should’ve recused himself to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.  I also think Brown is pretty awful and acting like a spoiled brat.  Assuming Walton is more like Bernie/Ritchie Torres/Jamaal Bowman than AOC/Omar/Tlaib, I’d vote for her (my VBNMW rule is only for Presidential elections when Trump or a family member of his is in the ballot, I’d have voted for Nader in 2000).  Otherwise, I’d just sit this one out entirely.  I certainly wouldn’t reward Brown’s antics by voting for him in the GE.

That said, I don’t think there’s any evidence that Caban lost b/c of some sort of chicanery.  It’s not impossible, but right now it seems more likely that she lost fair and square by a razor thin margin.

I regret to inform you she's 100% in the Squad progressive Democrat camp vs. the Bernie camp.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Full Mayoral debate between Brown, Walton, Carlisle, and Miles, for those interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ7Dh02S7FQ&ab_channel=WGRZ-TV

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Mayor Brown removed from the ballot after fight from Walton campaign:

https://buffalonews.com/news/local/government-and-politics/byron-brown-off-buffalo-mayoral-ballot-after-state-federal-rulings/article_3789a114-1662-11ec-823e-ffce2f3f9692.html#tracking-source=home-breaking