Independent Write-In Candidate to Pursue New York’s 26th Congressional District

James Speaker, a State University of New York graduate and former President of its United Students Government student organization, has recently announced his decision to pursue an independent write-in campaign for New York’s 26th Congressional District.

In a recent press release issued by the Speaker campaign and made available through Third Party Watch, James Speaker outlined the central focus areas of his campaign, expressing his intent to welcome Gen-Z leaders to Congress regardless of “political left, right, or center.” He emphasized a strong commitment to addressing critical issues, such as national healthcare reform, income inequality, and supporting the working class.

“As a Gen-Z candidate with a proven track record of dedication and community service, James Speaker brings a unique perspective and a fresh approach to the political landscape,” the campaign wrote in its release. “Disgusted by how both parties managed to likely nominate Donald Trump and Joe Biden once again – James is running an Independent Write-In campaign to shift the Overton window to welcoming Gen-Z leaders to Congress, regardless of the political left, right, or center.”

Additionally, Speaker advocated for a pro-life stance that would encompass supporting individuals throughout their entire lives. His pro-life policies contained initiatives like making child adoption more accessible, providing support to mothers in poverty, safeguarding social security, and advocating for a transition to a “Medicare for All” healthcare system.

The campaign also highlighted contrasts in the financial approaches of James Speaker and incumbent Representative Brian Higgins. Specifically, it stated that Speaker would not accept contributions from external sources and would maintain a self-funded campaign. On the other hand, the release noted that Higgins had accepted funding from various groups during his time in office, including Northrop Grumman, Honeywell, Morgan Stanley, and LPCiminelli Inc.

“These groups don’t represent the blue-collar, working-class voters of Western New York; they show how Washington, DC owns the legislative agendas of our elected leaders,” the Speaker campaign wrote.

New York’s 26th Congressional District includes the cities of Buffalo, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Lackawanna, and Niagara Falls. The District is currently represented by Brian Higgins, a Buffalo-based Democrat who has served as a member of Congress since 2005. As of this article, James Speaker is the first candidate to formally declare for the New York 26th Congressional District for the upcoming election cycle. No other candidate has been identified, and Democratic incumbent Brian Higgins has yet to file for re-election.

Write-in campaigns, although challenging, have proven possible to win. New York has witnessed several local electoral write-in victories throughout its history, with a handful of notable instances occurring since the 1990s.

In 1990, Serphin Maltese, a then-State Senator and member of the Conservative Party, secured victory in the Republican Party primary through a write-in effort. This win came after he was denied special permission to receive the party’s nomination. In 2005, James Maher won the mayoral election of Baxter Estates when the incumbent failed to campaign after being unaware of having a challenger. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown experienced a similar outcome in 2021, winning re-election through a write-in campaign after losing his party’s primary to a challenger. Several members of Congress have also won as write-in challengers throughout history.