BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Rep. Chris Jacobs (R, NY-27) announced Friday he will not run for election in New York's newly drawn 23rd Congressional District. He will finish his current term in the 27th Congressional District. He was elected to the 116th Congress in July of 2020.
Prior to serving in the House of Representatives Jacobs served as a New York State Senator, Erie County Clerk and a member of the Buffalo School Board.
On May 27, Jacobs held a press conference to promote legislation to get more school resource officers in schools across the country.
While speaking with reporters at the event Jacobs also addressed gun control following the shootings here in Buffalo and in Uvalde, Texas. Jacobs went on the record saying he would support a series of gun control measures, including banning access to semiautomatic rifles like AR-15s, restricting magazine capacity to 10 rounds, and raising the minimum age to 21 for a firearm purchase.
“If an assault weapons ban bill came to the floor that would ban something like an AR-15, I would vote for it," said Jacobs on May 27. The congressman said he’s pro-second Amendment but said “no constitutional right is unlimited.”
Jacobs said since making those comments every Republican official, and many committees, that endorsed him for NY-23 have withdrawn their endorsement and petitions were circulating to launch primaries against him.
"The last thing we need is an incredibly negative, half-truth-filled media attack funded by millions of dollars of special interests money coming into our community around this issue of guns, gun violence and gun control. Therefore today I am announcing that I will not run for the 23rd Congressional District," said Jacobs. "We have a problem in our country in terms of both our major parties, if you stray from a party position you are annihilated."
Jacobs held a media availability to make the announcement, you can watch it in full below.
Erie County Conservative Party Chairman Ralph Lorigo tells 7 News's Ashley Rowe that New York GOP Chair Nick Langworthy is the front runner for replacing Rep. Chris Jacobs as the endorsed GOP candidate for the 23rd Congressional District. The filing deadline is June 10th.
Carl Paladino, former New York Gubernatorial candidate and former Buffalo School Board member, tells 7 News he will run for NY-23.
