Community leader Sergio Rodriguez announced Wednesday afternoon he will run for the office of Mayor of the City of Buffalo.
Supporters gathered behind the Republican candidate in Niagara Square as he talked about his plans, if elected. Rodriguez, 32, said the issues plaguing the city will not be ignored under his administration.
"I envision a city where the majority of students are receiving a high school diploma, where residents can feel safe walking the streets in their own neighborhoods, where mothers and fathers can put food on the table and their children feel secure having a roof over their head, where hard-working residents of Buffalo have the opportunity to seek and gain employment in their own city," Rodriguez said, standing in front of City Hall.
Rodriguez will square off against Democrat incumbent Byron Brown in a city where Democrats have a significant enrollment advantage. Rodriguez asserts his political affiliation doesn't matter.
Brown has not yet formally announced his re-election bid for a third term, though he has held fundraising events.
Rodriguez, who was born in the Dominican Republic and grew up on Long Island, is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps with a Masters in organizational leadership from Medaille College.