As names continue to surface for possible Republican candidates for the 27th Congressional district, the seat currently held by Rep. Chris Collins, one elected official has announced he will not be a candidate.
State Senator Patrick Gallivan said, in a statement Friday, he is honored to represent his constituents in the 59th Senate District and he will continue in that role.
"My commitment to them, my colleagues in the senate majority and most importantly my family take precedent over personal ambition," Gallivan said. "I will not be a candidate for the 27th Congressional District at this time."
Gallivan, a former Erie County sheriff, was considered by some to be among the frontrunners for the nomination. Had he run and lost, the balance of power in the Senate, which Republican hold by a slim majority, could have changed.
Republican party leaders are looking for a replacement for Collins, who announced he is suspending his reelection campaign following an indictment charging him and two other men with insider trading.
There are roughly a dozen names still under consideration for the seat. Party leaders from across the sprawling district will begin interviewing candidates next week.
