BUFFALO, N.Y. — Election 2013:
Byron Brown won his third term as Mayor of Buffalo, Tim Howard won his third term as Erie County Sheriff, and Stefan Mychajliw won a full term as Erie County Comptroller.
The even bigger news, however, on what turned out to be a very good night for Republicans locally, was when the GOP won control of the Erie County Legislature for the first time in 35 years.
It was also the year that New York voters approved the licensing of up to seven state-sponsored non-tribal casinos, five of which have been built since the measure was passed 10 years ago in the election 2013.
Election 2003:
Republican Joel Giambra won a second term as Erie County Executive defeating democrat Dan Ward.
Ten years after leaving office, former Buffalo Mayor Jimmy Griffin completed a political comeback by winning the South District seat on the city's Common Council
Andy SanFilippo won the election for City of Buffalo Comptroller over long-time Common Council member James Pitts
In Niagara Falls, Vince Anello was elected mayor, defeating one-term incumbent and former nun Irene Elia, 20 years ago during the election of 2003.
Election 1993:
For the first time in 16 years, Buffalo would have a new mayor, after NYS State Senator Anthony Masiello was elected to become the city's 61st mayor, defeating Republican Richard Grimm and Eugene Fahey, a Democrat running in the conservative line.
It was also the year that Nancy Naples, a businesswoman with no political experience, was elected to county-wide office.
Naples, a Republican, won the first of her three terms as Erie County Comptroller defeating Brian Higgins, who gave up his seat on the Buffalo Common Council in order to run.
"One day, and I can't tell you when it will be, we will share the victory that so many other candidates share tonight," Higgins told cheering supporters gathered at the Ellicott Square Building.
His words turned out to be prophetic.
Nine years later Naples and Higgins would square off again for the open congressional seat being vacated by the retiring Jack Quinn, and Higgins would emerge as the victor.
Higgins is still serving in the House of Representatives today.
Rudy Giuliani won his first term as Mayor of New York City 30 years ago in the election of 1993.
Election 1983:
When Joe Crangle was chairman of the Erie County Democratic party and his counterpart Victory Farley led the Erie County Republican party, republican Ed Rutkowski was elected to his second term as Erie County Executive, defeating democrat David Swarts.
To give you an idea of how popular the incumbent county executive was in those days, Rutkowski - despite facing a three-to-one enrollment disadvantage, beat his opponent by a three-to-one margin.
In Niagara Falls Michael O'Laughlin was reelected as mayor, which was nothing new for O'Laughlin, who would go on to become the longest-serving mayor in the history of the city, serving a total of 24 years before retiring in 1992.
Daniel Weber was elected as Cheektowaga Town Supervisor and Thomas Radich was re-elected as the Mayor of Lackawanna 40 years ago during the election of 1993.
