Graduate wants to run for Buffalo mayor

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - An ambitious graduate student from Buffalo will not be getting much rest this weekend. At age 23, Matthew Ricchiazzi wants to become Buffalo's next mayor.

Ricchiazzi said, "My name's Matt Ricchiazzi. I'm trying to run for mayor of Buffalo."

He already knows he wants to live in Buffalo for the rest of his life. The Cornell graduate wants to persuade other people his age from moving away too. If he wins his mayoral campaign, one of the first things he'd focus on is bringing more jobs here.

Ricchiazzi said, "I think we need a professional economic staff that travels the world and sells buffalo niagara to the world's largest, most promising, most innovative companies."

Ricchiazzi needs more than 500 signatures to qualify for the September primary. That is no easy task for a Republican in a city dominated by Democrats.

Ricchiazzi said, "I've been going door to door for the last several days and I've found that only one in five houses tends to be Republican."

Mayor Byron Brown, Council Member Mickey Kearns, Community Activist Samuel Herbert and Republican Rick Gattone are the other mayoral candidates.

Ricchiazzi said, "I think now more than ever we need an MBA mayor who is also an urban planner; someone who's worked as a lobbyist in D.C. but also is a community organizer in environmental justice communities in New York." So far, he's learning a good lesson in politics.

For Ricchiazzi, rebuilding Buffalo is about taking care of his home, "We're in crisis mode here. The last thing we need is a steady hand. When your ship is sinking, we need a new captain."