BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – India Walton’s campaign is proof that a progressive candidate can make a serious run to be the next mayor of Buffalo.
Despite upsetting Mayor Byron Brown in the June primary, Walton presumably lost the general election to the incumbent after he waged a write-in campaign that won by 18 points and more than 10,000 votes. Analysts blame her loss, in part, due to a lack of political experience.
But there are progressive candidates who have political experience that have long been speculated as candidates for Buffalo’s highest office. State Senators Sean Ryan and Tim Kennedy are among the top two often mentioned and they have reportedly expressed interest in the position before.
Both Ryan and Kennedy declined comment on the speculation for this story.
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“With the very same kind of playbook, I think somebody with more experience than India Walton makes the general election a non-event and staves off a write-in challenge,” Jacob Neiheisel, a political science professor at the University at Buffalo, said. “I think if you have somebody who doesn’t have the baggage of India Walton and somebody with a little more experience in managing a campaign and running a general election under a lot of scrutiny, I think that they can successfully end things with the primary.”
Ryan was among the state lawmakers who endorsed Walton following the primary and told the mayor through reporters in June “The game’s over. Move on”.
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Kennedy did not endorse a candidate for mayor but vowed to work with the winner.
Assemblyman Jon Rivera, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, Erie County Legislator April Baskin, and University District Councilman Rasheed Wyatt are among the notable politicians who endorsed Walton over Brown. Neiheisel told reporters on Wednesday he believes those who endorsed Walton will now have a contentious relationship with the mayor, though they will do what they need to do to forge a working relationship.
“I expect there to be some awkwardness when these candidates are in the same room together again,” Neiheisel said.
Some of those endorsements for Walton could be considered passive, like Schumer’s and Gillibrand’s because they were sent as press releases and tweets. Shawn Donahue, a political science professor at UB, said Ryan was among the endorsed politicians who actively campaigned on behalf of Walton.
“Endorsements aren’t always about the candidate being endorsed,” Neiheisel said. “Sometimes they’re about the one doing the endorsing. So these could easily be seen as attempts to stave off a primary challenge of their own.”
Wyatt acknowledged that still plans to fight for the people but that he needs to work with the mayor in order to get his goals accomplished.
“I think we have some great opportunities with the American Rescue Plan (and) the infrastructure deal that could come forth,” Wyatt said. “I’m going to fight as hard as I can to make sure the things people want for my district are things we can deliver on.”
The University District councilman could be a strong candidate for mayor due to his experience in local politics and because he is Black in a racially diverse city.
“Even right now as we speak, my concentration really is on delivering for the folks, especially because we have an opportunity to make some real, meaningful headway with the Biden Administration with what they’re proposing as far as dollars for the inner cities,” Wyatt said. “I haven’t really thought down the road in 2025.”