Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - If you ask Carl Paladino about Rep. Chris Jacobs comments announcing his support of an assault weapons ban recently, he'd say, "He unfortunately had a bad day."
On Friday, Jacobs surprisingly stood outside Erie County Hall and announced he would leave Congress at the end of his first term and not run for election in the newly mapped NY23 district of suburban Buffalo and the southern tier.
Even before making his decision public in a WBEN interview late Friday afternoon, Paladino stated he would run for the seat if Jacobs were to exit the race and he made it official shortly after Jacobs announced his decision LIVE on WBEN during a pointed statement.
While Jacobs shunned the Republican Party for disenfranchising a candidate for not being in lock-step with full party policy, Paladino called Jacobs a good man that made a mistake. "The overreaction to these mass killings and the misdirection of the blame on weapons instead of increasing the resources dedicated to mental disease is a shock," Paladino said of Jacobs choice on the gun issue during an appearance on WBEN's Hardline program with Joe Beamer Sunday. "He focused on the guns…..these tragedies are not the result of a weapon, they’re the result of a deranged, disabled person using a weapon." Paladino believes policy that takes weapons away from the 'good guys' will leave only the 'bad guys' armed.
Now that Paladino has officially declared he'll seek the seat in NY23, he is targeting President Joe Biden and calls him the worst president in the history of the country.
"Our area needs a good voice…..a good conservative voice," said Paladino and he says he's no stranger to the people of the NY23 district. "Those people in the southern tier know me well…they trusted me once before," said Paladino in referencing his failed effort in running for governor previously.
Paladino says he is wasting no time hitting the campaign trail and will be working to acquire needed signatures for the run.
It's no secret that Paladino is a staunch supporter and friend of former President Donald Trump and when asked if there's a chance Trump would be in the district campaigning on his behalf, he simply said, "A very good chance."
"Politics is dirty," recalls Paladino from his previous run for governor and he appears ready, willing and able tog et his hands dirty in a bid to become the representative in NY23 beginning in 2023.