Poloncarz will not run for 26th Congressional District seat being vacated by Higgins

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz on Sunday took himself out of contention for the 26th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Brian Higgins early next year. 

“After much consideration and discussing the opportunity with party leaders, former county colleagues now serving in Congress, friends, family, and the people I currently serve, I have decided not to seek the Democratic nomination for Congress,” Poloncarz said in a written statement. 

He continued, “While I appreciate the tremendous outpouring of support and interest in my candidacy from leaders in our community and members of the public, including the men and women of the Erie County Democratic Committee, my focus will remain on serving the people as Erie County Executive.”

Poloncarz was one of three top Democrats – State Sen. Tim Kennedy and Mayor Byron Brown were the others – eyeing the seat after Higgins’ announcement last month that he would resign early next year and become president of Shea’s Performing Arts Center. 

Kennedy is the only declared candidate for the race. The South Buffalo Democrat announced last month that he is seeking to become the Democratic Party’s nominee for a special election that Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to set next year to fill Higgins’ seat.

Brown has made it clear that he is considering jumping into the race but has not made a formal announcement. Brown recently said if voters did send him to Washington, he would be a centrist “fighter” who would work to bring leftist Democrats and right-wing Republicans together to solve the country’s pressing problems.

Poloncarz for the last few weeks appeared to be considering a run, albeit in the early “exploratory” stages. Fresh off his 18-point victory last month to secure an unprecedented fourth term as county executive, he had been…