By JAMES FINK and QINA LIU
jfink@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1611

Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul overcame the longest of odds Tuesday night to win the state's 26th Congressional District special election.

Hochul, the endorsed Democratic Party candidate upseat Republican Party nominee State Assemblywoman Jane Corwin, in a wide district that includes most of Erie County's northern suburbs and stretches into portions of Niagara, Orleans, Genesee and Monroe counties. The district has nearly 28,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats.

"Right now, I feel like I'm going to Disney World," Hochul said just as she was leaving the podium at the UAW Hall in Amherst.

With 86.6 percent of the district's 627 districts reporting, Hochul had 48.1 percent of the vote - or 44,234 tallies - compared with Corwin's 38,908 votes - or 42.3 percent - and Tea Party candidate Jack Davis' 8.5 percent or 7,887 votes.

Still to be dealt with was the counting of more than 6,000 absentee ballots and a possible legal challenge that Corwin filed late Tuesday afternoon in New York State Supreme Court. That case will be heard Thursday morning by State Supreme Court Justice Russell Buscaglia.

Corwin offered to help Hochul, but was admittedly bitter about her defeat, which just a few weeks ago seemed almost unthinkable.

"The discourse of this election leaves for political concern," Corwin said. "We can't continue to play gotcha politics."

Local leaders and political insiders attributed Hochul's victory to several factors including her own savvy experience from running for public offices in Hamburg, Erie County and working for former Rep. John LaFalce and the late New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

"Kathy is an experienced campaigner," said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. "That comes into play when you have a very intense campaign conducted in a very short period of time."

Hochul played off of her blue-collar roots and touched on issues that resonanted with local voters including protecting the federal Medicaid system and going after millionaires and billionaires who got tax breaks.

"I believe that public service is a privilege that should never be abused," Hochul said.

The congressional race was set up when Rep. Chris Lee abruptly resigned on Feb. 9 following an internet scandal. Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially set the election 45 days ago.

"The bottom line is, I think, Kathy was more adept," said Len Lenihan, Erie County Democratic Party chairman. "I've known Kathy a long time. She really wanted to be in Congress and it showed."