Dan Humiston Announces Run For U.S. Congress in 27th Congressional District

[Ezliving_Jim]

Founder of Tanning Bed chain aglow with potential as challenger to Higgins

Is Daniel J. Humiston another Collins?

By Robert J. McCarthy NEWS POLITICAL REPORTER
Updated: 02/19/08 8:09 AM



One thing you can say about this year’s challenger to Rep. Brian Higgins: He’s tanned, rested and ready — especially tanned.

Daniel J. Humiston, president and founder of the Tanning Bed chain, is expected to face the popular Democratic incumbent on the Republican line and possibly minor party lines, too.

Though his assignment is a tough one, party sources are smiling as broadly as the familiar Tanning Bed logo over the prospect of another wealthy businessman in the mode of County Executive Chris Collins facing a “career politician.”

“He’s been to Washington, he has a consultant, and he’s been to candidate school,” said a knowledgeable party source. “He’s ready to run a real campaign for Congress.”

The source also said Humiston will officially announce his candidacy soon. He is a member of the Independence Party but is not expected to encounter any difficulties in gaining the GOP endorsement.

It is known that Humiston, 44, is quietly building an organization and talking with leaders of several parties. He did not return a call seeking comment.

The new candidate lives at Admiral’s Walk on the Buffalo water-front. With a loan from his grandfather, he built his operation into a company with 34 outlets across New York State.

The company’s Web site says the Tanning Bed is the largest operator of tanning facilities in the United States, with as many as 50 beds in many of its outlets.

Though Higgins enjoys advantages of incumbency and party registration (207,740 Democrats to 122,198 Republicans in the 27th Congressional District), Humiston will provide far tougher competition than token opponent Michael J. McHale in 2006.

Humiston is expected to bring a substantial amount of his own dollars to the campaign and be able to tap into a fundraising network of close friends and business associates both locally and nationally.

In addition, Humiston starts in good shape with the top minor parties, Independence and Conservative, which often can prove important in a close election.

As an Independence member, he is automatically entitled to seek that line (after circulating designating petitions), while party leaders would have to endorse a candidate from another party and provide an authorization to run on the Independence line.

While Higgins has run with Independence backing in the past, some members of his political operation have encountered rocky relations with Erie County Independence Chairman Anthony L. Orsini over the last year.

Higgins also has run afoul of the Conservative Party in recent years, though the party often backed him in his races for the Assembly. In 2006, state Conservative Chairman Michael R. Long overruled local Conservative leaders and denied the party’s endorsement to Higgins because he supports late-term abortions. State Conservative leaders consider opposition to the procedure a prerequisite for support.

At the time, Higgins blamed his denial of the line on Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, R-Clarence, and then-Gov. George E. Pataki, who both maintain strong ties to Long. He called the organization a “party in decline.”

While Long has not specifically addressed the Higgins situation this year, he has not espoused any change in his position on late-term abortions.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/279799.html

[Ziti]

wow

[TonyG]

Cool!!

[RobertK]

That was predictable. Good for him!

[GSK Resources]

Everyone new it was going to happen.

Good Luck, Dan!

[jbizz]

I had a long chat with Dan about this a few weeks ago. It's no surprise that he would throw his hat into the political arena. Anyone who knows Dan realizes his passion for politics. I hope that everyone in his district rallies to his support. I think it will be great to have a voice of reason for our industry in Congress!

[Alan @ TanToday]

Dan is the Man!

I better go copyright that button slogan right now.

[solarmeter®]

Wouldn't a democrat be better haha?

[Ezliving_Jim]

Steve, maybe you should run in Michigan.

Alan, www.danistheman.com is already reserved.

[Kathe]

Yeah Steve, I'll vote for you!

Kathe

[frankie]

I am sure Dan will step down from the ITA. Who will take his place?

Congrats Dan.

[Ezliving_Jim]

Dear tanning industry friends,

Today is a big day in my race for Congress, March 31 is the last day I can collect money for my first FEC filing. The FEC reports have to be done quarterly so that the country can gauge my potential as a candidate.

I officially became a candidate in March; so far all my fundraising efforts have been directed towards our industry. My feeling is that it sends a strong message to the country that the tanning industry believes that their president will make a good congressman.

While many people have generously supported and helped spread the word I still have a ways to go to hit my goal. If you haven't had time to go to my website www.humistonforcongress.com and make a contribution, can you please do it now?

Thanks
-DAN

[Ezliving_Jim]

A donation of just $25.00 / month 'till the end of the year appears to the F.E.C. as a $250.00 donation. Looks strong.

[frankie]

I did not send 25.00 @ month but I did donate 100.00. Maybe I will do more later. Has anyone else donated?

[Editor-in-Chief]

http://www.opensecrets.org/races/sum...e=2008&id=NY27

Humiston needs help!

The incumbent Democrat is raising money 11x.

[Editor-in-Chief]

It looks to me like Dan will need about $1.2 million to run a competitive race.

[Editor-in-Chief]

Republican hopes of congressional candidate Dan Humiston collecting two minor party lines in his effort against Democratic incumbent Brian Higgins are fading. The Conservative Party is absolutely giddy about running one of its champions — Budd Schroeder — a longtime gun-rights activist.

http://www.buffalonews.com/244/story/316840.html

...

[Editor-in-Chief]

Conservatives play a key role

Bob McCarthy
Updated: 04/13/08 6:29 AM



More news and notes from the congressional campaign trail:

• As reported here last Sunday, local Conservatives can hardly contain themselves over the congressional candidacy of long time gun rights activist Budd Schroeder. Schroeder and Erie County Conservative Chairman Ralph Lorigo say the effort not only injects a true conservative voice into the contest — featuring Democratic incumbent Brian Higgins and Republican nominee Dan Humiston — but will also draw new members to the Conservative Party.

“We’ll say there are two big problems in the United States — Republicans and Democrats,” Schroeder said last week.

The tiny Conservative Party, fourth in line on the New York ballot, often can determine the outcome of a close election. George Pataki, for example, would never have become governor without the Conservative vote in his 1994 victory over Mario Cuomo.

And Lorigo’s radio ads extolling Conservative themes during several recent campaigns have produced results. Conservative vote totals surpassed the Independence Party — number three on the ballot — in some recent elections.

This time, Lorigo and company hope to distribute registration forms to everyone Schroeder meets on the campaign trail.

All of this has spoiled the hopes of Republicans, who hoped Humiston (a registered Independence member) would carry three lines into an uphill battle against Higgins. And it leads Erie County GOP Chairman Jim Domagalski to lay out his conspiracy theory about the whole affair.

“It just takes votes away [from Humiston] and helps a liberal,” the chairman said.
According to Domagalski, it’s all part of the Conservative plan. Higgins enjoyed a long relationship with Conservatives while in the Assembly, but lost their backing when state Chairman Mike Long refused to back him for Congress because he favors late term abortions — a litmus test issue for Long.

So, Domagalski says the Schroeder candidacy and its potential to draw right-leaning votes from Humiston is just the local party’s way of supporting their old pal Higgins. Interestingly, Lorigo does not outright deny the charges of his Republican counterpart. He says only that Schroeder will prove a top notch spokesman for Conservative values.
And it does leave open the potential for Erie County’s Conservatives to spread their gospel, while still helping an old friend.

A friend, by the way, who labeled the Conservatives a “party in decline” when he was denied their nod in 2006.



http://www.buffalonews.com/244/story/322141.html

...

[Ezliving_Jim]

YouTube - Dan Humiston Announces Candidacy for U.S Congress

[Ezliving_Jim]

Brian M. Higgins (D) *
Raised: $667,791
Spent: $425,056
Cash on Hand: $629,062
Last Report:March 31, 2008

PAC contributions$218,461(33%)
Individual contributions$449,105(67%)
Candidate self-financing$0(0%)
Other$225(0%)


Daniel J. Humiston (R)
Raised: $94,969
Spent: $45,986
Cash on Hand: $48,982
Last Report:June 30, 2008

PAC contributions$10,250(11%)
Individual contributions$79,133(83%)
Candidate self-financing$5,386(6%)
Other$200(0%)


* Incumbent

Congressional Elections: New York District 27 Race: 2008 Cycle | OpenSecrets