Speaker Boehner in WNY to back Corwin

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Speaker of the House John Boehner came to western New York with a full plate. He supported a contender in a hotly-contested congressional race and met with families of Flight 3407.

Jane Corwin drew the biggest crowd, but all three major candidates in the 26th Congressional District were out before the cameras on Monday. Kathy Hochul addressed the Medicare issue and Jack Davis reached out working men and women, giving out free hot dogs.

In bringing in House Speaker John Boehner, the Republican "big gun" aimed at cutting spending and the size of government, Jane Corwin sought to further ally herself with the Conservative cause.

Boehner said, "Jane will work with us to stand up to Nancy Pelosi and the liberals in Washington, D.C., and say "no" to the bailouts, say "no" to the stimulus, and say "no" to the continued tax and spend crowd that's down there."

"We need to go out there and start getting our fiscal policies in order. Our country's going in the wrong direction. We need to turn it around," said Corwin.

But at the gathering of prominent area Republicans, Jack Davis, an unknown factor, was clearly on everyone's mind.

Former congressman Tom Reynolds said, "Jack Davis as a self-funder, with well into $3 million, is letting people know he is out there, what he stands for, and some of the public is aware of him from three times before."

Davis, who provided free hot dogs for anyone who would shake his hand and listen to him, says saving jobs, farms, and industry in western New York is a message that is resonating with the voters.

Davis said, "The people in Wall Street, the bankers, investment bankers, they believe in free trade because they can make more money that way, but in the meantime, the working men and women get hammered."

Democrat Kathy Hochul sought to reassure senior citizens she would fight to keep Medicare intact, and says Republicans have gone too far in what they're proposing.

"The premise is that the deficit is so big we need to do something. How is it that in that same budget, where they're hurting seniors, they're willing to extend tax breaks and tax giveaway to the absolute wealthiest in this nation? That's an illogical argument, I don't buy it, and neither do the voters in this district," said Hochul.

Kathy Hochul has the endorsement of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. A new poll commissioned in part by the SEIU shows Hochul now ahead of Corwin by four points, and leading Davis by 11 points. The Corwin campaign says considering a union was part of the poll, no one should be surprised with the outcome.