Local party leaders will be in New Hampshire this week for the unofficial kick-off for Democratic presidential campaigns.
The long process of deciding who will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2020 starts Friday at the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner in Manchester. The event will be carried live on C-SPAN.
"People are already campaigning on the street in New Hampshire, right now, for the seat. So we're excited to be a part of it," said Jeremy Zellner, Chairman of the Erie County Democratic Committee.
Zellner says he will be looking for a candidate that could represent Western New York and issues important to residents.
"I'm the son and grandson of union auto workers and we need people to understand that we want to continue building the G.M. plant here in Western New York. That we need sustainable housing here, in Western New York. That we need real issues that matter to people who get up everyday and go to work and for those people who need government to go to work for them. We need someone that's going to understand that," Zellner said.
Nearly a dozen Democrats have already entered the race, including New York's junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand. But Zellner says there's a few more "key New Yorkers" he's waiting to hear from.
"One is Secretary [Hillary] Clinton. And one is Governor [Andrew] Cuomo."
Zellner says Democrats need a vigorous primary season to get the best candidate to unite around. He says the state party will be meeting March 4 to elect a new leader and decide the party's direction.