Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) WBEN has confirmed New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes will not seek re-election.
Peoples-Stokes has served in the Assembly since 2003 and was elevated to majority leader in 2018.
"She has been a huge force, not just for Democrats, but for the Western New York community in Albany," Jack O'Donnell of O'Donnell & Associates tells WBEN.
The deadline to file petitions for the June Primary expired on Monday. That means party leaders can hand pick her successor on the ballot without going through a Primary. Peoples-Stokes was running unopposed.
O'Donnell suspects Buffalo Common Council Member Leah Halton-Pope may succeed Peoples-Stokes. Halton-Pope was a longtime staffer and aide to Peoples-Stokes in the Assembly.
"Today is about the Majority Leader," Halton-Pope told WBEN. "She's done so much for this city... so my focus today is just her."
"My priority right now is serving my district. Should I be blessed at some point in the future to serve on the State level it would be to continue that same thing."
"[Halton-Pope] has made quite a name for herself in a short time as the Majority Leader of the Buffalo Common Council. I would have to say that Leah is the favorite," O'Donnell adds.
Crystal Peoples-Stokes has scheduled a special announcement for Wednesday afternoon regarding the future of the 141st Assembly District seat.
