Collins says it’s critical that NY-27 stay Republican
Photos by Tom Rivers: U.S. Rep. Chris Collins of Clarence addresses about 250 people during Thursday’s Fall Republican Rally at Hickory Ridge.
HOLLEY – U.S. Rep. Chris Collins and Orleans County Republican leaders are trying to mobilize voters to support Collins on Nov. 6.
He is on the ballot after suspending his campaign in August following his arrest on federal insider trading charges. Collins reversed course last month, and returned to the campaign trail after Republicans from the eight counties in the district tried to find a last-minute candidate to replace him.
“I for one will not allow the NY-27th to be a seat for Nancy Pelosi,” Collins told 250 Republicans at the Orleans County Republican Fall Rally on Thursday. “This is too important to not work our butts off.”
Collins was praised for his voting record and commitment to President Donald Trump.
“Congressman Collins has been on the right side of the issues,” State Sen. Robert Ortt told the Republican crowd. “He has been a key Trump supporter. We have to get out and we have to keep that seat.”
The local congressman was the first member of Congress to publicly support Trump’s campaign for president.
“We have to protect the seat,” said Ed Morgan, the Orleans County Republican Party chairman. “The country is headed in the right direction.”
The Orleans County Republicans have a yearbook for every fall rally. A page in this year’s program was devoted to President Trump and his accomplishments, including a strong economy, 4 million new jobs and lower unemployment rate.
Collins’ campaign literature was at each dining spot at the Republican Rally on Thursday.
“Keep our Congressional Seat Republican. Keep Congressman Chris Collins in Office.” That was the headline of the page in the yearbook.
Collins is commended for backing Trump and supporting tax cuts, rolling back “job-killing regulations,” supporting the travel ban, backing new Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, and “enforcing immigration laws to protect our borders,” among many issues cited by the local Republicans.
Collins, who has been in Congress for six years, said the progress will be reversed if Democrats gain control of the House of Representatives.
His race against Nate McMurray, a Democrat who is Grand Island town supervisor, is close with polls showing a slight lead for Collins in a district that is the most Republican of all districts in New York. Collins said Democrats have a chance to flip the House to their control.
“The thought of Nancy Pelosi as speaker should scare the bejesus out of everyone,” Collins said. “All of the progress will be gone.”
Pelosi and a Democratic majority would result in “total gridlock” with no more legislative victories for the President, Collins said.
Democrats would also head important committees. Maxine Waters, for example, would lead the Financial Services Committee. The California congresswoman, “can’t balance a checkbook,” Collins said.
“They are incompetent,” he said about the Democrats in Congress. “It’s one 80-year-old after another.”
He said the focus with a Democratic majority would be to remove Trump as president.
“Every committee meeting would be an inquisition on the Trump Administration,” Collins said.
He urged Republicans to elect Marc Molinaro as governor, and work to keep the State Senate in Republican control.
Collins has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and has proclaimed his innocence. A February 2020 trial date has been set in the case.
