Davis’ new party off ballot
Board cites failure to file nomination
Jack Davis collected 7,000 signatures to get his “Save Jobs and Farms Party” on the November ballot, but he forgot the most important one: his own.
The state Board of Elections on Friday threw Davis’ new party off the November ballot because he failed to file a document accepting the party’s nomination for Congress in the 26th District, commission spokesman Robert A. Brehm said.
“The state board commissioners voted today to determine that the . . . petitions of Mr. Davis are invalid,” Brehm said. “The reason was the failure to timely file an acceptance by the candidate, which is required by state Election Law.”
Davis, an Akron millionaire who has vowed to spend $3 million of his money on the race, has until next Wednesday to go to court to appeal the decision.
Brehm indicated, however, that the ruling was an easy one on the part of the board.
“I don’t see how we can waive a statutory requirement,” he said.
Davis’ campaign manager, Luke Vaughn, attributed the problem to “a clerical error” and said the campaign is trying to find out how it happened.
“We’ll be exploring all possible options” to try to get the Save Jobs and Farms Party back on the ballot, Vaughn said.
“Regardless of how many lines Jack has on the ballot, he’s going to win, because he’s the only candidate who will stand up to the special interests,” Vaughn said.
Davis announced the creation of the Save Jobs and Farms Party on Aug. 21 — one day before the deadline to file the acceptance of the party’s nomination.
The announcement came after Davis hired field workers at $20 an hour to collect more than 7,000 signatures, Vaughn said. Only 3,500 were required.
Davis faces Iraq War veteran Jon Powers and Amherst attorney Alice Kryzan in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
Davis had vowed to stay in the race even if he loses the primary, but the board decision means that the race to replace retiring Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, R-Clarence, will more likely remain a two-person race.
In other news in the race:
• Kryzan won her second major endorsement in two days, as the National Organization for Women Political Action Committee announced that it is backing her.
“Alice will be a champion for women when she goes to Congress, and we look forward to working with her to improve the lives of women and families,” said Kim Gandy, who heads the NOW PAC.
The announcement came a day after Kryzan won the backing of former Rep. John J. La- Falce, D-Town of Tonawanda.
• Kryzan found herself targeted in an advertisement for one of her opponents for the first time.
In the ad for Powers, she is labeled “the corporate lawyer who defended corporate polluters at Love Canal.” The ad also notes she once gave a campaign donation to Reynolds.
Kryzan represented Occidental Chemical Corp. as a young lawyer and said she once donated $250 to Reynolds as “a business accommodation.”
Anne Wadsworth, Kryzan’s campaign manager, said: “Jon’s attacks confirm for the public what we already know, the momentum is on our side and we are winning this race.”
