BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — State Senator Sean Ryan will run for Buffalo mayor on the Democratic Party line this November after winning the primary election, but uncertainty remains for who will continue their campaigns through the general election.
State Senator Sean Ryan came out on top Tuesday night, beating acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon in the Democratic primary. Ryan believes his time spent working in Albany is what set him apart from the other candidates.
“The state experience is vitally important because I know what state government funds,” Ryan said. “I know when cities come to Albany to ask for help, how to ask for it and how the state responds to it.”
Scanlon closed out the night 3,000 votes behind Ryan, with most of Scanlon’s success being in South Buffalo. He was emotional when talking about the effort his team put into his campaign.
“I can’t tell you how much it means to me,” Scanlon said. “Just the hours that went into this, I can’t thank you enough.”
Prior to the results on Tuesday, Scanlon said he will be on the ballot in November and that he secured the Good Neighbors party, but as of Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for Scanlon said he has not decided if he will run again and will be discussing further with his family.
Former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield told WIVB News 4 Wednesday evening that he is officially stepping down and out of the race with no intention of running as a third-party candidate.
He went on to say that he and his team are going to stay involved in the community, but it will be in a different way rather than pursuing the mayor’s office. He concluded by saying he will pursue justice and equity for people in Buffalo moving forward and will hold elected officials accountable.
Community activist Michael Gainer could be on the ballot after successfully creating his own line: the Restore Buffalo Party Line.
“I’m running for Mayor because Buffalo deserves a choice in this election. Sean Ryan is the handpicked candidate of the same Democratic Party machine that’s overseen Buffalo’s decades of decline,” Republican endorsed candidate James Gardner said in a statement. “Our city is struggling, downtown is hollowing out, crime is rising, and working families are getting squeezed. With the support of the Republican and Conservative parties, I’m taking my campaign to every block club, every neighborhood, and every voter looking for a safer, stronger, and more affordable Buffalo. I welcome every voter who cares about our city to join our campaign.”
The general election will be held on Nov. 4.
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Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
