Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Democratic candidate for Erie County Executive Nate McMurray Monday afternoon announced on social media he is ending his campaign and 'Will fight other fights'.
McMurray was challenging incumbent Democrat Mark Poloncarz in the race for the county's top office.
In an open letter to support posted on Twitter and Facebook, McMurray announced the change of heart on the same day the Republicans introduced their candidate in the race, Clarence businesswoman Chrissy Casilio-Bluhm.
OPEN LETTER: WILL NOT CONTINUE CAMPAIGN; WILL FIGHT OTHER FIGHTS
— Nate McMurray (@Nate_McMurray) February 27, 2023
Dear friends,
I have decided not to continue running for Erie County Executive. Please let me explain why.
1. I ran because I believe in Erie County and Western New York
1
In the lengthy letter, McMurray ultimately bases his decision to withdraw from the race on the control the Democratic Party, its chairman Jeremy Zellner, and Mark Poloncarz have over the petitioning process to get on the ballot.
"Even if I get the signatures Zellner will use his Board of Elections lawyers to scrutinize every signature, looking for tiny irregularities to disqualify me," McMurray writes. "If he is successful (as he often is) he will put out a press release with Poloncarz calling us fools (or worse) for not getting on the ballot. Again, he does this. Often."
Nate McMurray's complete 'open letter' to supporters
Dear friends,
I have decided not to continue running for Erie County Executive. Please let me explain why.
1. I ran because I believe in Erie County and Western New York
I believe in Erie County. We have an international border, surrounded by fresh water. We are in the same state as New York City, the world's cultural capital. We are just a short drive from Toronto, another one of the world's great cities. Our land is blessed and abundant, with verdant orchards and farms in every nook. Maybe most magnificent, the world's greatest natural attraction—Niagara Falls--draws millions to our home.
There is so much potential. But we are mired in poverty and desperation. Buffalo is the third poorest city in America, with the worst job market. Last year, a racist mass murder highlighted the enduring cultural, wealth, and racial divide. Then in December, 50 (maybe more, the full numbers have not been released) died in a storm—many in their cars—in large part because our County Executive prioritized getting people to work (calling the travel ban at 9:30, after rush hour) over protecting our people.
It's not good enough. We need change.
2. Despite the poor state of our County, the County Executive wants 16 years in office
The hubris to ask for 16 years in office after what happened in 2022 speaks both to our County Executive's entitlement and the absolute failure of the Republican Party to pose a legitimate threat. Mark Poloncarz should lose based on his record of ignoring working people and serving corporate interests (look at the stats not his flowery words), but the alternative is the party of tyranny. And as I will explain below, the party machine makes a legitimate primary (from someone like me) nearly impossible.
Yes, I supported Poloncarz in the past, but how could I support him now? Did you see his campaign announcement? His vision going forward is "more cops" and more money (he's already given hundreds of millions) to a private football team's outdated stadium concept, nearly twenty miles from the City of Buffalo. He uses identity politics to agitate and annoy the right but lacks the courage and conviction to stand up to vested wealth and unite and expand the left. I do not believe Mark Poloncarz deserves 16 years in office.
I will leave my website up, which contains my plans and vision for Erie County (NateForErie.com). As you can read there, I promised expanded rail to Toronto and to our airport. I promised a focus on climate change, environmental clean-up, and eco-tourism (building off our proximity to the falls and all this water). I promised a domed stadium in the City of Buffalo that would act as a cultural center—not just a temple to football. I promised better cops (focused on mental health and service) not just more of them. I promised investing in small business and not mega corporations that rob us.
Mark, if you win, please go to my website. Use my ideas.
3. The machine does not serve the people; it serves itself.
So why aren't I running? I have this vison, this passion. Well, let me state clearly as I always do (without political double speak). I can't beat Mark in this system. Maybe better said, I can't beat his machine. You could take him out of it, and plug in any other cog into that machine, and I wouldn't be able to beat that cog either. The machine works (for now). And it's scary.
Over the last few weeks, as I spoke out against Poloncarz, dozens of people came up to me, everywhere I went, cheering me on. Regular people. People who work. It felt like 2018 again when I was running against Chris Collins. There is a crackle in the air. It's been fun and reminded me why I like politics at all.
But I lost that race in 2018, because the system was broken. Republicans outnumbered Democrats in that district by thousands, and in these partisan times, despite my general support across our entire region, our support in that specific district could only rise so high. In this race, no matter what we do, how much money we raise, I'm not confident that we will even get on the ballot against Mark Poloncarz . . . because he controls the machine.
Indeed, Mark Poloncarz is the machine in Erie County. Between Mark and Jeremy—in a region haunted by endemic poverty—they have the power to appoint literally thousands of positions (a 2.1-billion-dollar budget!), which is a tool they use to find souls to feed their machine. It's like Chicago or New York City at the turn of the century. Literally half the Democratic heads (maybe more) work directly for Zellner or Poloncarz. This creates a pall of fear that stifles what would otherwise be normal, common, American political debate. No one in local politics wants to offend the machine.
4. Like Poloncarz, Zellner has unprecedented power.
Zellner also controls the Board of Elections. He is the only person in the entire state with such power. The Buffalo News and other media outlets have largely condemned this as an outright conflict of interest. But Zellner and Poloncarz stay silent because they know Zellner's broad power lets them dominate local politics. When I ran for Congress, I was also fighting Zellner in court to keep polling stations open. In 2018 when I lost by 0.29%, I also lost in court to Zellner (my own party Chairman!), who sued me as Board of Elections Chairman and prevented me from impounding the voting machines for a fair recount.
The situation is even more twisted if you consider Zellner's power over ballot access. Many of you may not know that I would need to collect thousands of signatures to even get on the ballot against Poloncarz. That law is unlike other states (where you can just get on the ballot by applying) because the party bosses do not want anyone to win (or even get on the ballot) unless they pick them. It's almost like Texas or something. They do not want open elections. This is why Poloncarz has never, ever, even now faced a primary.
They have even blocked me from even visiting local committees to get signatures, telling me, "You're not welcome." I would need to go house to house—paying thousands to obtain a list of registered Democrats—and would I need to do it before Zellner's people get their first. You see, I can't just get any signature. I need to get signatures from registered Democrats, and I need to get them before Zellner does, because you can't sign twice, for two candidates. These rules are as arcane and anti-Democratic as it gets, and it gets worse.
Even if I get the signatures Zellner will use his Board of Elections lawyers to scrutinize every signature, looking for tiny irregularities to disqualify me. If he is successful (as he often is) he will put out a press release with Poloncarz calling us fools (or worse) for not getting on the ballot. Again, he does this. Often. This is how they protect a 16-year gravy train, their machine. And even if I get on the ballot, beat their lawyers, and somehow win the primary, what's next? Ask Byron Brown, who took millions from MAGA affiliated developers to keep his machine humming.
5. It's not hopeless; we just need to pick our fights.
Is it hopeless? All of it? Politics in general. No. But we need to pick our fights, and we need to celebrate and build off small victories.
Poloncarz and Zellner lost their mind that I dared even stand up to them. They were foaming at the mouth. They're afraid of me. Afraid of you. Afraid of change and the obligation of having to get a real job. And I can see now more people than just me want a better Erie County. Change will come. The ideas I presented are in the air, and if you are still reading this then you know: the emperor is buck naked.
I got into this fight before I knew Mark was running, when the machine was still cold and rusty. I thought that maybe Mark might have the humility to move on after all the failures of the last few years. But nope. He wants more. Even though he's back, I considered paying the money out of my own pocket to get on the ballot, so Mark would have to debate me. But he would likely dodge the debate. I would rather save the cash for my kids right now. It would take a lot of money to get those signatures and fight Zellner lawyers, like at least a semester in college worth of cash.
So I'll wait. I'll keep fighting for people I love and believe in. Pushing for the ideas on my website (NateForErie.com). Spending my days laughing and being goofy with my kids. And always, in any way that I can, pushing for a new vision for Erie County, a more inclusive, hopeful vision. The zeitgeist will change. I'm not worried. If not yet. Soon. It's inevitable. All machines eventually break.
Talk to y'all soon,
Nate
PS, to my team, love you guys. Truly. Always. You're fearless.
