Islander kicks off run for Congress

Madigan opens headquarters on Buffalo's East Side

by Larry Austin

Mike Madigan of Grand Island officially announced his candidacy for Congress in the 26th District Sunday at his campaign headquarters on Buffalo's East Side.

Madigan spoke at a press conference outside his new office at the corner of Bailey and Kensington avenues. Madigan said he chose the headquarters there because of the need to educate the children in that area, one of the most economically depressed in the region.

"Literally, our current congressperson ignores what's happening here," Madigan said of Congressman Brian Higgins. Madigan said taking back the City of Buffalo begins with restoring safety and security, which starts with "fixing the worst education program for minorities and low-income children in the country."

"Our city education system neither properly educates, nor teaches the necessary vocational skills for entering the job market for most of our low-income children," Madigan said.

Calling himself a fiscal conservative, Madigan said he favors "a ladder-up of opportunity."

"We need to get competitive in terms of taxes and regulations," Madigan said. "That's right up there with the school system."

Madigan said he has Independence, Conservative and Republican endorsements. He faces a 13 percentage point disadvantage in enrollment versus the Democrat Higgins, who he said has "one of the worst records out of the 435 congressmen, just based on lost jobs, 40 percent of our manufacturing jobs, and based on population displacement, 30,000 people, more than any other district in this region."