Nate Shinagawa

JAMESTOWN – One of the democratic candidates for congress has picked up another local endorsement. Jamestown city councilman and city Democratic Committee Chair Vince DeJoy has come out in support of Nate Shinagawa (D-Ithaca). Shinagawa is one of three candidates vying for the party’s nomination on June 26 during the Democratic primary. The other two candidates or Leslie Danks Burke (D-Ithaca) and Melissa Dobson (D-Corning). The winner of the primary will go on to face Tom Reed (R-Corning) in November’s general election.

In a prepared statement, DeJoy said he’s endorsing Shinagawa because he brings both real world experience and the elected legislative experience that will work to bring progress and not more partisanship and gridlock in Congress. Shinagawa is an administrator in healthcare for the Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa. – just on the other side of the state line near Waverly, N.Y. He is also a member of the Tompkins County Legislature.

Shinagawa has also been locally endorsed by the Chautauqua County Democratic Committee, the Dunkirk Democratic Committee, Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, Dunkirk Mayor A.J. Dolce and Fredonia Mayor Steve Keefe. He has also received the endorsement of the Working Families Party.

Shinagawa was also in Chautauqua County over the weekend meeting with party representatives and going door-to-door to talk with voters. Both Danks Burke and Dobson were in Jamestown Friday night to attend a Meet the Candidates forum at the James Prendergast Library, which Shinagawa was unable to attend.

WRFA is working to coordinate another public forum in the Jamestown area, with all three candidates in attendance and which would allow local registered Democrats an opportunity to meet and ask various questions of all three candidates. Last week, WRFA extended the request to Shinagawa’s campaign, but they have yet to respond with any potential dates for such an event to take place.

Leslie Danks Burke (D-Ithaca)

JAMESTOWN – The only democratic congressional candidate to have opened a campaign office in downtown Jamestown says she’s ready to go to work for the people of Chautauqua County and the rest of the 23rd Congressional District. Leslie Danks Burke (D-Ithaca) is one of three candidates vying for the Democratic line on the November ballot, looking to unseat Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning), currently serving his first term in congress.

• LISTEN TO COMPLETE DANKS BURKE INTERVIEW

Danks Burke tells WRFA she’s disappointed Reed is not serving as a strong advocate for the region, especially when it comes to job creation.

“President Obama recently announced an infrastructure development plan that will get Americans back to work, building bridges and making improvements to railroads and highways and other infrastructure in our towns, villages, and downtowns,” Danks Burke explains, adding, “I am deeply disappointed that Reed voted against that program. We have folks that are out work in manufacturing industries and we can get those people back to work building for New York, and I want to make sure that we are doing that.”

While Danks Burke is critical of Reed – a Republican from Corning – she says she’s also aware it is important to work with others across the aisle, and if elected to Congress, that is something she plans to do.

“(The new 23rd Congressional District) is more Republican than Democrat. We need to find a candidate who is going to be able to appeal across party lines to a certain extent. I believe I can do that,” Danks Burke says. “I am a litigator and in my career I’ve done large-scale international and civil rights litigation. My entire professional career has been devoted to working across lines and making sure that product is achieved, even if people are coming at things from different viewpoints. That is a real strength of mine and I’m committed to bring that strength to the southern tier.”

Danks  Burke says the primary platform of her campaign is job creation, and she’s developed a plan that focuses on manufacturing, along with developing job-creation partnerships with universities, colleges and community colleges to help bring jobs back into the region.

Because of redistricting earlier this year, Chautauqua County has been put into the newly drawn congressional district, which include 10 other counties stretching across the Southern Tier as far east as Danks Burke’s home of Tompkins County.

She is running against fellow democrats Nate Shinagawa (D-Ithaca) and Melissa Dobson (D-Corning) for the Democratic Party endorsement, with a primary taking place on June 26. The winner will square off against Reed in the Nov. 6 general election.

More information on the campaign can be found at www.lesliefornewyork.com. Her campaign office is located at 17 E. Third St., Jamestown.

Shinagawa will also be joining Cornell at her 3rd Annual Ladies’ Night Out Spa & Cocktail Party Fundraiser Thursday night. The event is sponsored by Cornell’s campaign committee in support of women’s leadership in Chautauqua County. Attendees will have access to $200 worth of complimentary services from over 50 local salon and women’s wellness professionals.  There will be samples, prizes and giveaways to kick off Mother’s Day weekend. Musical entertainment will be provided by Big Leg Emma.

The event will be held from 6 – 9 p.m. at Robert H. Jackson Center, 305 E. Fourth St. Admission is a $23 donation at the door. No reservations are necessary.

Shinagawa leads the Democratic field in fundraising and cash on hand. He has the endorsements of the Chautauqua and Steuben County Democratic Committees along with Jamestown mayor Sam Teresi and several other officials throughout the district. He has also received the endorsement of the Working Families Party.

Shinagawa is running against democrats Leslie Danks Burke and Melissa Dobson for the Democratic Party endorsement, with a primary taking place on June 26. The winner will square off against Republican Tom Reed – who currently represents New York’s 29th Congressional District – in the Nov. 6 general election. Because of redistricting, Reed’s district has shifted to the 23rd Congressional District and now includes all of Chautauqua County.

More information on the campaign can be found at www.lesliefornewyork.com or www.facebook.com/lesliefornewyork. The new campaign office is located at 17 E. Third St., Jamestown.

She is running against fellow democrats Nate Shinagawa (D-Ithaca) and fellow democrat Melissa Dobson (D-Corning) for the Democratic Party endorsement, with a primary taking place on June 26. The winner will square off against Reed in the Nov. 6 general election.

Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) – who is currently serving his first term as representative of New York’s 29^th Congressional District – officially kicked off his re-election campaign Monday at Jamestown Community College. Reed said he started his re-election campaign in Chautauqua County because he wanted to send a message that the County is a beautiful part of the district. Reed said Chautauqua County will be critical in the new Congressional district, and noted that getting familiar with the area is key to being a successful representative.

Reed has already received the endorsement of the Chautauqua County Republican Committee, which backed the former Corning mayor and attorney well before he made his re-election announcement.

Reed will face one of three Democratic challengers for the 23rd Congressional seat –  Nate Shinagawa, who won the endorsement of the Chautauqua County Democratic Committee; attorneys Leslie Danks Burke; and Melissa Dobson. The three are currently running for the party’s endorsement, with a decision being made in the June 26 primary. The winner will square off against Reed in the Nov. 6 general election.

“In this campaign I’ve made efforts to connect the businesses in the western part of the district all the way to the eastern area, as far east as Tioga County, were I reside,” explains Dobson. “When I see the opportunities there, isolated from the rest of New York State or even the eastern part of this district, it’s disappointing to me that people haven’t recognized how to interconnect those resources. My platform is to develop some of the infrastructure throughout New York State, looking at the assets that we have in the Western and Eastern district – and throughout the entire state – to see how we can interconnect those opportunities.”

Dobson is a licensed attorney from Corning who works with start-up companies across the Southern Tier and throughout the state to link education and job opportunities. She is currently campaigning throughout the district in an effort to win her party’s primary on June 26.

Dobson’s opponents in the primary are attorney Leslie Danks Burke and Tompkins County legislator Nate Shinagawa, who’s already received the endorsement of Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, the Chautauqua County Democratic Committee, and several other officials throughout the 23rd District.

Despite the momentum Shinagawa has received in recent weeks, Dobson says she feels there are a couple of key factors that separates her from the current front-runner.

“I’ve met Nate. He is a gentleman and I see he’s had some experience in politics. However, I have some doubts on his experience as a 28 year old young male with no family and New York State property ownership. So I’m conflicted with how someone can represent a constituency if they don’t understand some of those base issues,” Dobson tells WRFA.

Dobson says she plans to make several stops in Chautauqua County in the coming weeks to continue her grassroots, door-to-door campaign. She says some of the other issues she wants to address are greater efficiency in government, economic development and education training.

The winner of the June Democratic primary will square off in November against current congressman Tom Reed, a republican from Corning who is serving his first term in Washington.

Shinagawa is a hospital administrator serving his sixth year on the Tompkins County legislature and is a registered Democrat. He is currently campaigning for the Democratic party’s endorsement against fellow democrats Melissa Dobson and Leslie Danks Burke. A primary will take place on June 26 throughout the newly created 23rd Congressional District. Congressman Tom Reed of Corning will run for the Republican party in the November election.

Tompkins County Legislator Nate Shinagawa (D-Ithaca) spoke to local media Monday afternoon at City Hall after receiving an endorsement from Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi. In addition to Teresi’s endorsement, Shinagawa has also been endorsed by several Democratic officials and groups, including the Chautauqua County Democratic Committee, Hornell mayor Shawn Hogan and Elmira mayor Sue Skidmore.

As part of his campaign, the Ithaca Democrat said he wants to focus on three key issues:

“The number one thing I think we need to work on right now is Jobs. We absolutely need to have jobs in this community that are accessible to everybody, not just those with college degrees, but those with high school degrees. And we need to do that through manufacturing, through investment in renewable energies, and investment in the rail industry. I think that is absolutely key to our future. The second thing we need to do is we need to make sure we bring federal dollars back into these communities, because the only way we are going to be able to restore and rebuild cities like Elmira or cities like Jamestown is that if we have funds and if we have a congressman in office that’s willing to fight to bring funds back into these communities to help rebuild downtowns throughout the entire district. The third thing we need to do which is key to our community is to make sure we are protecting the social safety net for people, and I mean specifically medicare and social security.”

Shinagawa also said that the new 23^rd Congressional District needs a representative who will have an independent voice in Washington, and simply not blindly follow the wishes of party officials. He said that is what Tom Reed is currently known for doing.

“Tom Reed has shown in the two years that he’s been in Congress that he is nothing but a follower of the Republican Leadership,” said Shinagawa. “He doesn’t speak for himself, he repeats their talking points. He’s the spokesperson for them. I think what’s been consistent throughout the southern tier’s history is that we have loved Independent leaders that speak for the constituents, not the political party, and that’s what I will offer.”

Before taking on Reed in a head-to-head race, Shinagawa first must get past the Democratic Primary. He is running against fellow Democrats Leslie Danks Burke and Melissa Dobson, both attorneys, in the June 26 congressional primary.