Republican Chris Jacobs became the newest House member Tuesday, taking the oath of office to fill the unexpired term of Chris Collins who left Congress after pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges.
Jacobs, who has been a state senator, had the support of President Donald Trump and won a special election last month against Democrat Nate McMurray.
In remarks on the floor of the House, Jacobs said he promised to fight hard every day for the comeback of the region he represents.
"I look forward to working with all of you to help our state in a time when they are clearly in need, in a fiscal crisis," Jacobs said.
While Jacobs was being sworn-in, McMurray was holding a news conference in Canandaigua talking about the upcoming fall election.
McMurray said that even though it looks like he lost the special election, he’s encouraged that he appears to have lost by a narrow margin in what is viewed as a strongly Republican district.
“To spend as much money as the state Republican party has spent, and (with the support of) President Trump, his political capital, and the personal fortune of Chris Jacobs, to spend that much money and to be in single digits in the supposed ‘reddest’ district in New York state, I think it speaks volumes about what’s going to happen in November,” McMurray said.
McMurray also has not conceded the special election yet, since he said the state has not yet officially certified the election.
The two candidates will be on the November ballot in the general election for the full two-year term.
