Today Alice Kryzan said:

“With tightening credit affecting consumers, homebuyers and small businesses, and bank failures affecting us here with Washington Mutual, the private largest employer in Orleans County being seized and sold to JP Morgan, the current financial crisis is real for the voters of the 26th Congressional District.”

“As I said last week, we must stabilize the situation quickly: to protect taxpayers from further harm, to improve financial regulation to ensure this disaster is not repeated and, put independent oversight in place to get the job done right. There needs to be a real bipartisan plan to stem the damage caused by the financial crisis. I demanded and will continue to demand a plan that would protect the taxpayers and homeowners of the 26th district and not bail out Wall Street corporate executives.”

“This is not about politics, but about finding a solution with sufficient oversight to protect the people in our part of New York.”

“I am committed to letting the working families of the 26th district know what I plan to do to continue to address these issues and how I will fight every day in Congress, create jobs right here, work to provide affordable, reliable health care and to turn this economy around.”

The campaign clarified for me that Kryzan would have voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 but that she would have fought for greater consumer protection even after its passage.

The campaign has also attacked opponent Christopher Lee for not releasing his position on the crisis:

“Chris Lee has made deregulating our economy a centerpiece of his campaign,” said spokesperson Anne Wadsworth. “Now that we’ve seen the disastrous result of continuing Bush’s failed policies, he has nothing to say. The people of this district need answers, not knee-jerk deregulation rhetoric.”

The House of Representatives has voted against approving an emergency bailout plan called for by President Bush. Current 26th District Republican Representative Tom Reynolds voted for the bill.

Final vote

Yeah’s 204
Nay’s 228

From the campaign:

The Independence Party today made Republican Christopher J. Lee its candidate in the 26th Congressional District.

The development is seen as a major coup for Lee, who now has the top two minor party lines along with the GOP slot.

The Independence Party was able to place Lee on the ballot under its line by exercising a series of technical moves.

Anthony L. Fumerelle previously had been the Independence Party’s candidate, but is now nominated for a State Supreme Court judgeship in Queens even though Fumerlle is a Buffalo attorney.

Other than death, nomination for a Supreme Court post is the only way a candidate can be replaced at this late date, according to state election law.

“We requested that Anthony move off after we found what we consider to be the best candidate for our line,” State Vice Chairman Thomas S. Connolly said. “This is necessary in a very tough situation where we are in the midst of a primary and you can’t determine who the candidates will be until after.”

When asked why voters should have confidence in a party that switches candidates after nominating them, Connolly said confusion in the Independence Party and in the Democratic primary caused the minor party to take the unusual step.

“At the time this occurred there were a lot of people on a lot of different pages out there,” he said. “A decision simply could not be made.”

Connolly said the party did not contact Democrat Alice J. Kryzan, feeling more comfortable with the former businessman from Amherst.

Democrat Jon Powers remains on the ballot as the candidate of the Working Families Party.

The Kryzan campaign has released the following responde to Christopher Lee’s attack ad:

***
Yesterday, Chris Lee released a television ad that belies reality and shows just how out
of touch he is with Western New Yorkers. Following a convincing primary victory and the release of a
poll showing Kryzan with a ten point lead, Chris Lee clearly recognizes that momentum is on Alice’s side
and is resorting to desperate and cheap attacks to muddy the airwaves.

Rather than keep his pledge to make this campaign about the issues, Lee is spending his time and money making false and misleading attacks on Alice. Instead of saying how he will work to improve the lives of working families in Western New York, Lee released a negative ad suggesting Alice, who has never held office, has raised taxes and supported legislation that has “killed jobs.”

Meanwhile, Lee continues to support the same knee-jerk deregulation that has plunged our economy into chaos and put the protection of CEO’s paychecks before helping the hardworking families of Western New York. While wages stagnate and unemployment grows, Lee thinks we should extend the Bush tax cuts for millionaires like himself. Chris Lee just doesn’t get it.

“The last thing New Yorkers need is the same old politics and same failed policies in
Washington,” said spokesperson Anne Wadsworth. “Chris Lee has already demonstrated that he
is not willing to engage the voters in a conversation about their real concerns: soaring energy
costs, crumbling financial markets that are crippling savings and retirement pensions, and
healthcare and education costs that are too much for many working families. This is not a time for
politics; this is a time for action.”

FACT: Chris Lee’s policies may be good for millionaires but not for Western New Yorkers

• Lee Supports Tax Cuts for Millionaires like Himself. In 2001 and 2003, Chris Lee supported
extending the Bush Tax Cuts that benefit the wealthiest one percent. Chris Lee’s company,
International Motion Control, sold for $395 million in 2007. [Lockport Union-Sun & Journal,
8/22/08; PR Newswire, 3/26/07]

• Alice Will Fight for Working Families: Kryzan stated on her campaign website that too many
families have seen their wages decline in recent years and that she will fight to make fair pay a
reality. “During the Bush Administration, wage growth has stalled leaving working families
financially insecure and unable to plan for the future. I will support policies that provide families
with a living wage, reliable healthcare and retirement security.” [Kryzan for Congress, 9/10/08]

• Alice is Against Shipping Jobs Overseas: On her campaign website, Kryzan made the statement
that she will ensure that trade negotiations are environmentally sound and protect American
workers. “I will work to ensure that all U.S. trade policies include environmental and labor
protections and provide an even playing field for American workers and their families and
include U.S. environmental standards, worker safety standards, and product safety standards.”
[Kryzan for Congress, 9/10/08]

Labeling Alice Kryzan a “Liberal Trial Lawyer” Republican candidate Christopher Lee charges his opponent will work to raise taxes ($2887) resulting in the loss of 59,037 jobs. The commercial also puts forward the taglines “Alice Kryzan, No Experience, Higher Taxes” and “Alice Kryzan, She’d Do a Number on Our Economy.”

The source for the taxation and job loss figures is a Webmemo released by the Heritage Foundation. Webmemo 1844 released on 3/11/08 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D. looking at the economic impact of a House resolution that would raise spending under the newly adopted Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) rules. The memo assumes that to pay for this spending ther Bush tax cuts would be eliminated resulting in the average taxpayer, by their estimates, paying around $2000 more in taxes by 2011.

The memo also says:

Moreover, the budget resolution could damage employment growth, causing about one million fewer jobs to be created, and could lower economic output by more than $100 billion compared to what it would have been; the average cost to congressional districts could be 2,191 lost jobs and $247 million in economic output.

Kryzan has said she does not support the Bush tax cuts becoming permanent.

This is the first of what will no doubt be several attack ads between the two candidates who stayed largely clean during the Democratic primary fight that saw Jack Davis and Jon Powers pounding one another with similar ads.

Disclaimer: I accidentally hit publish when I meant save. I was in a hurry and apologize. I was going to include an official response from the campaign. I will have that up in a few minutes. Just to note the DCCC runs independent of the Kryzan campaign and by law cannot coordinate as the campaign and Rottenchester (in the comments) note and as I would have had I not hit publish.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running the following ad attacking Christopher Lee in its effort to support Alice Kryzan (Found via Buffalo Bean.

ECGOP Chairman Jim Domagalski issued the following statement:

“Kryzan should be ashamed of herself for this blatant hypocrisy,” said Erie County Republican Chairman Jim Domagalski. ”Kryzan needs to denounce these ads as a complete and utter distortion of Chris’s record as a successful business leader who has actually created good paying jobs here in Western New York. I dare ask the question, how many jobs has Alice Kryzan created?

“Alice Kryzan has said that Washington insiders shouldn’t select the person Western New Yorkers are going to send to Congress. Alice Kryzan needs to stand up and denounce these negative attack ads and live by her promise to turn away this outside liberal, special interest help.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has announced its endorsement Chris Lee. From the Press Release:

“I am honored to have the endorsement of the Chamber of Commerce,” said Lee. “As someone who has seen how government regulations can strangle small businesses, I will fight to reduce regulation and lower taxes to encourage economic growth and job creation in Western New York.”

The Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing over three million businesses and organizations, both large and small. The Chamber supports advanced legislation that promotes the interests of the business community. Historically, a Chamber endorsement has benefited many candidates. In the 2006 election alone, 222 of the 277 Chamber-endorsed candidates were successful in their bid for elective office.

“Chris Lee will be a champion for the people of Western New York and an invaluable leader on important business issues,” said Bill Miller, the U.S. Chamber’s senior vice president and political director. “On issues ranging from tax cuts to reducing energy costs, New York’s business community will have no better friend in Washington than Chris Lee.”

“It is the Chamber’s goal to help elect a pro-business Congress and work diligently in the interest of businesses large and small to advance legislation that encourages economic growth, job creation, and less intrusive federal government,” said Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Chris Lee’s support of pro-business issues earned this endorsement. We believe Chris’s election to the U.S. House will help produce sustained economic growth and promote America’s competitiveness in world markets.”

“The future of Western New York is dependent on not just keeping today’s jobs, but ensuring the jobs of tomorrow are here as well,” concluded Lee. “If we fight hard enough to make America, and Western New York, more competitive, then our children can stay right here at home to raise their families. Ultimately, we need to cut the growth of Washington so we can increase job creation in Western New York and cut the bloated government in Washington.”

The nod got a mention in The Hill.

Hat tip to The Buffalo Bean

The D&C Blog looks at a memo released by current NY-26 Representative Republican Tom Reynolds.

A memo, addresses to “interested parties” makes the contrast between Democrat Alice Kryzan, “a liberal trial attorney who wants to raise taxes” and Republican Chris Lee, “a hardworking businessman who will be an independent voice.”

“Alice Kryzan didn’t win this race Jack Davis and Jon Powers lost it,” Reynolds wrote, adding Kryzan never had to discuss her position on the issues.

Check out the story for more. If anyone has a copy of the full memo they can pass along, I would appreciate. Thanks

The Buffalo News takes a look at Christopher Lee’s strategy for taking on Alice Kryzan in the general. The piece sums up his strengths and weaknesses.

Lee has inherited much of Reynolds’ political and fundraising team, and enjoys an advantage of almost 38,000 more Republicans than Democrats in the 26th Congressional District.

And he brings ideas to the discussion, too. He would like to be appointed to a business-oriented House committee, where he can promote job growth.