New York's 26th congressional district

"NY-26" redirects here. NY-26 may also refer to New York State Route 26.

New York's 26th congressional district
Current Representative		Brian Higgins (D–Buffalo)
Cook PVI	D+13

The 26th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Western New York. It includes parts of Erie and Niagara counties. The district includes the city of Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

The office of representative for this district became vacant on February 9, 2011 following the resignation of Republican Chris Lee. A special election was held May 24, 2011, and Democrat Kathy Hochul was elected. After redistricting, Brian Higgins has represented the district since 2013.

The district from 2003 to 2013

Voting

Election results from presidential races
Year	Office	Results
1992	President	Clinton 44 - 35%
1996	President	Clinton 51 - 35%
2000	President	Bush 51 - 44%
2004	President	Bush 55 - 43%
2008	President	McCain 52 - 46%

Change of district boundaries over time

Until the 2002 redistricting, most of this area was in the 27th District. During the 1980s this area was primarily in the 31st District. Two districts covered this area in the 1970s, the Erie County based 38th and the Monroe County based 35th. The 26th District covered the area now in the 22nd District during the 1990s and the area now in the 23rd District in the 1980s. In the 1970s this district was centered in Orange and Rockland counties. During the 1960s it covered areas in Westchester County now in the 18th and 19th District.

Representatives

1823–1833: Two seats

From the creation of the district in 1823 to 1833, two seats were apportioned, elected at-large on a general ticket.

Years	Congress	Seat A				Seat B
		Representative	Party	Electoral history		Representative	Party	Electoral history
March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18	Dudley Marvin	Adams-Clay Republican	Elected in 1822, 1824 and 1826		Robert S. Rose	Adams-Clay Republican	Elected in 1822 and 1824
March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827	19		Adams				Adams
March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829	20					John Maynard	Adams	Elected in 1826
March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	21	Jehiel H. Halsey	Jacksonian	Elected in 1828 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]		Robert S. Rose	Anti- Masonic	Elected in 1828 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	22	William Babcock	Anti- Masonic	Elected in 1830 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]		John Dickson	Anti- Masonic	First elected in 1830 Re-elected in the single-seat district

1833–present: One seat

Representative	Party	Years	Electoral history	Counties in the district
John Dickson	Anti- Masonic	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	First elected in the two-seat district [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Francis Granger	Anti- Jacksonian	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	Elected in 1834 Lost re-election as a Whig	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Mark H. Sibley	Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	Elected in 1836 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Francis Granger	Whig	March 4, 1839 – March 5, 1841	First elected in 1838 Resigned to become U.S. Postmaster General	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Vacant		March 5, 1841 – May 21, 1841
John Greig	Whig	May 21, 1841 – September 25, 1841	Elected to finish Granger's term Resigned
Vacant		September 25, 1841 – November 27, 1841
Francis Granger	Whig	November 27, 1841 – March 3, 1843	Elected to finish Greig's term Retired
Amasa Dana	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	Elected in 1842 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Samuel S. Ellsworth	Democratic	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847	Elected in 1844 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
William T. Lawrence	Whig	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849	Elected in 1846 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
William T. Jackson	Whig	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851	Elected in 1848 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Henry S. Walbridge	Whig	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853	Elected in 1850 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Andrew Oliver	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1857	First elected in 1852 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Emory B. Pottle	Republican	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861	First elected in 1856 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Jacob P. Chamberlain	Republican	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863	Elected in 1860 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Giles W. Hotchkiss	Republican	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867	First elected in 1862 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
William S. Lincoln	Republican	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869	Elected in 1866 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Giles W. Hotchkiss	Republican	March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871	Elected in 1868 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Milo Goodrich	Republican	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873	Elected in 1870 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
William H. Lamport	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	Redistricted from the 25th district [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Clinton D. MacDougall	Republican	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877	Redistricted from the 25th district [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
John H. Camp	Republican	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883	First elected in 1876 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Sereno E. Payne	Republican	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	Elected in 1882 Redistricted to the 27th district
Stephen C. Millard	Republican	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887	Redistricted from the 28th district [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Milton De Lano	Republican	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891	First elected in 1886 Retired
George W. Ray	Republican	March 4, 1891 – September 11, 1902	First elected in 1890 Resigned to become a United States District Judge
Vacant		September 11, 1902 – November 4, 1902
John Wilbur Dwight	Republican	November 4, 1902 – March 3, 1903	Elected to finish Ray's term Redistricted to the 30th district
William H. Flack	Republican	March 4, 1903 – February 2, 1907	First elected in 1902 Died	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Vacant		February 2, 1907 – March 3, 1907
George R. Malby	Republican	March 4, 1907 – July 5, 1912	First elected in 1906 Died
Vacant		July 5, 1912 – November 5, 1912
Edwin A. Merritt	Republican	November 5, 1912 – March 3, 1913	Elected to finish Malby's term Redistricted to the 31st district
Edmund Platt	Republican	March 4, 1913 – June 7, 1920	First elected in 1912 Resigned after being appointed to the Federal Reserve Board	All of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam
Vacant		June 7, 1920 – November 2, 1920
Hamilton Fish III	Republican	November 2, 1920 – January 3, 1945	Elected to finish Platt's term Lost re-election
Peter A. Quinn	Democratic	January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947	Elected in 1944 Lost re-election	Parts of Bronx
David M. Potts	Republican	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949	Elected in 1946 Lost re-election
Christopher C. McGrath	Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953	First elected in 1948 Retired
Ralph A. Gamble	Republican	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1957	Redistricted from the 28th district Retired	Parts of Westchester
Edwin B. Dooley	Republican	January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1963	First elected in 1956 Lost renomination
Ogden R. Reid	Republican	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1973	First elected in 1962 Redistricted to the 24th district
Benjamin A. Gilman	Republican	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1983	First elected in 1972 Redistricted to the 22nd district	All of Orange, Rockland, parts of Ulster
David O'Brien Martin	Republican	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993	Redistricted from the 30th district Retired	All of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence
Maurice Hinchey	Democratic	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003	First elected in 1992 Redistricted to the 22nd district	All of Ulster, parts of Broome, Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins
Thomas M. Reynolds	Republican	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2009	Redistricted from the 27th district Retired	All of Genesee, Livingston, Wyoming, Parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans
Chris Lee	Republican	January 3, 2009 – February 9, 2011	First elected in 2008 Resigned
Vacant		February 9, 2011 – June 1, 2011
Kathy Hochul	Democratic	June 1, 2011 – January 3, 2013	Elected in a special election Lost re-election after being redistricted to the 27th district
Brian Higgins	Democratic	January 3, 2013 –	Redistricted from the 27th district	Parts of Erie, Niagara
Representative	Party	Years	Electoral history	Counties in the district

Election results

In New York electoral politics there are numerous minor parties at various points on the political spectrum. Certain parties will invariably endorse either the Republican or Democratic candidate for every office, hence the state electoral results contain both the party votes, and the final candidate votes (Listed as "Recap").

1996 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Maurice D. Hinchey	122,850	55.2
	Republican	Sue Wittig	94,125	42.3
	Independence	Douglas Walter Drazen	5,531	2.5
Majority			28,725	12.9
Total votes			222,506	100%

1998 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Maurice D. Hinchey	108,204	61.8	+6.6
	Republican	Bud Walker	54,776	31.3	-11.0
	Right to Life	Randall Terry	12,160	6.9	+6.9
Majority			53,428	30.5	+17.6
Total votes			175,140	100%	-21.3

2000 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Maurice D. Hinchey	140,395	62.0	+0.2
	Republican	Bob Moppert	83,856	37.0	+5.7
	Right to Life	Paul J. Laux	2,328	1.0	-5.9
Majority			56,539	25.0	-5.5
Total votes			226,579	100%	+29.4

2002 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Thomas M. Reynolds	135,089	73.6	+36.6
	Democratic	Ayesha F. Nariman	41,140	22.4	-39.6
	Right to Life	Shawn Harris	4,084	2.2	+1.2
	Green	Paul E. Fallon	3,146	1.7	+1.7
Majority			93,949	51.2	+26.2
Total votes			183,459	100%	-19.0

2004 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Thomas M. Reynolds	157,466	55.6	-18.0
	Democratic	Jack Davis	125,613	44.4	+22.0
Majority			31,853	11.3	-39.9
Total votes			283,079	100%	+54.3

2006 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Thomas M. Reynolds	109,257	52.0	-3.6
	Democratic	Jack Davis	100,914	48.0	+3.6
Majority			8,343	4.0	-7.3
Total votes			210,171	100%	-25.8

2008 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Chris J. Lee	148,607	55.0	+3.0
	Democratic	Alice Kryzan	109,615	40.5	-7.5
	Working Families Party	Jon Powers	12,104	4.5	+4.5
Majority			38,992	14.5	+10.5
Total votes			270,326	100%	+28.6

2010 election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Chris J. Lee	151,449	73.6	+18.6
	Democratic	Philip A. Fedele	54,307	26.4	-14.1
Majority			97,142	47.2	+32.7
Total votes			205,756	100%	-23.9

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• "Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present". United States Congress. 
• "1996 House election data". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. 
• "1998 House election data". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. 
• "2000 House election data". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. 
• "2002 House election data". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. 
• "2004 House election data". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.