Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown on Friday took himself out of the running for the congressional seat held by outgoing Rep. Brian Higgins.
Brown issued a written statement that he will not seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 26th District seat.
In an exclusive interview, Higgins refused to confirm what other sources told The News and other media outlets last week: that he’s leaving to become president of Shea’s. But he said he plans to resign from Congress in early February – and sounded glad to be leaving.
“After careful consideration and discussing with my family this unique opportunity to go to Congress, I have made the decision to continue to serve the residents of Buffalo as mayor,” Brown said in a statement.
Brown said he met Friday with Erie County Democratic Committee Chair Jeremy Zellner and informed him that he will not seek the nomination. Brown said he “look(s) forward to continuing to work with the Erie County Democratic Committee and the party’s endorsed candidate to fill the vacancy.”
“I think he would have been a good congressman, he would have been successful if we supported him, but I respect his decision,” Zellner said of the mayor.
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