Final push is on in race for 149th State Assembly district

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The final push is on in several local races across Western New York on this Election Day, including the race for the 149th State Assembly district between Democratic candidate Adam Bojak and Republican candidate Frank Bogulski.

The winner of this race will take over for Democrat Jon Rivera, who is set to take over the 61st State Senate district seat in Albany come January.

Both candidates are feeling good in the final stretch of their campaigns before the polls close at 9 p.m. EST in Erie County on Tuesday.

"The polls have been busy, there's a lot of supporters for Bruce Blakeman in the Town of Hamburg. I believe that's going to drive a lot of support to my campaign," said Bogulski while appearing on WBEN with Joe Beamer.

"The early voting numbers looked really good for us, and we've been out at the polls all morning and all afternoon here. And the responses have been fantastic, so we're feeling really good," said Bojak in an interview with WBEN.

Bogulski has campaigned on a number of initiatives this election, one of which including frustrations over the state trying to run every aspect of people's everyday lives, pushing more-and-more people out of New York.

"Our state spends zillions of dollars to attract companies here to New York, by giving away free money, which I think is ridiculous. When the formula is simple: Just cut taxes for everybody, including corporations and individuals," Bogulski said. "I know so many people have left our state, and my opponent wants to raise taxes. He's promised to raise taxes, and New York is at a net loss of revenue because companies are leaving, people are leaving. We have to put a stop to it. That's why I'm running for office."

As for Bojak, he's fighting for a healthy and affordable Western New York.

"Those are things that are intricately linked," Bojak noted. "We want to make sure that we are speaking to the issues that everyday people are facing in this district, and that is everything costs too much. Whether it's housing, whether it's groceries, whether it's childcare, these things all cost way too much, and they don't have to. So that's what we're fighting for."

One narrative Bogulski and Erie County Republicans have been pushing in this specific campaign for the 149th State Assembly district is the fact that Bojak is running as a Democratic Socialist. Bogulski feels the constituents he talks to in the district, even other Democrats, are shocked.

"Socialism is why many people came to the United States. Take Joe Hernandez, who's running for comptroller; he grew up in Cuba, and he grew up with communism. That's why he came here on a boat at 7-years-old. ... So the thought that anyone would want to go to a Socialist economy in this country, where people have come for the land of opportunity, is shocking to many people. And they can't believe it's happening within our own country and our own state," Bogulski said.

Meanwhile, Bojak points to the work of former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was a Social Democrat during his time in office in Washington, D.C.

"He's one of the most popular, one of the most well-respected presidents that this country has ever seen," Bojak noted. "He taxed the rich, he passed universal programs. He was doing things that I'm going to do and fight for in Albany. So these things are not new to this country. They're very popular, and when you talk to people of any background, any party, it doesn't matter. People want to tax the rich. People want universal health care, universal child care, fully funded schools. These are not crazy ideas. These are everyday ideas."

With hours remaining until the polls close on this Election Day, what is their final message for voters representing the 149th State Assembly district, and others maybe voting in the gubernatorial race?

"I'm a Hamburg Town Councilman, I'm a father of four, a U.S. Army veteran. I've owned my own business for 25 years in Buffalo, I'm a Hamburg resident. I'm running for this position because I believe in New York," Bogulski pitched. "I want to lower taxes, I want to lower regulations. I want people to stay in New York. And if you want someone who believes in our Constitution, believes in our freedoms, believes in capitalism and our way of life, then go out and vote for me, Frank Bogulski, and reject Bojak Socialism."

"The Republican agenda has been thoroughly debunked. They are not fighting for a positive future. They're running on fear, and that's all they have. They don't have a positive vision for the 149th district. That's why they're trying to scare people with the Socialism, but they've been doing that for decades," Bojak stated. "They called Bill Clinton a socialist, they called Barack Obama a socialist, Mark Poloncarz, Sean Ryan, it doesn't matter. They'll call any Democrat a Socialist. And I think people are smart enough now to see through that. These are things working people need in their everyday lives, and that's what we're fighting for."