Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

State Senator Rob Ortt joins congressional race in the 27th

Rob Ortt/Twitter

New York State Senator Rob Ortt on Saturday joined the race for the Republican nomination in the 27th Congressional District.

That’s the seat currently held by Rep. Chris Collins, who has been facing federal insider trading charges. Collins has not yet announced if he will run for another term next year.

Ortt currently represents the 62nd district in the NYS Senate, which includes Orleans and Niagara counties and the towns of Sweden and Ogden in Monroe County.

Ortt said in a statement that, “We need somebody who will not only support President Trump but someone who is unafraid of defending our freedoms and our values. We face continued threats to our security from abroad as well as assaults on what makes America great here at home. Our nation was great, is still great, and will continue to be great because of people like those who reside in NY-27, no matter how many times the regressives on the left claim we’re awful and call for a socialist revolution.”

On the Republican side, Chris Jacobs and Beth Parlato are also in the race. Democrat Nate McMurray of Grand Island announced recently he will make another run for the congressional seat as well.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.