Kevin Stocker, the former town prosecutor who defeated Mark Grisanti in a jaw dropping landslide primary victory last year, has been seen campaigning door to door this month — nearly twelve months ahead of next year’s election for State Senate.
Stocker is a well known and well liked political outsider, who has a deep base of support in his hometown of Kenmore and the Town of Tonawanda, where his name recognition is pervasive. The 60th district is seemingly tailored for Stocker, and includes the towns of Grand Island, Orchard Park, and Hamburg, where Stocker’s outsider posture and family oriented style play well with voters.
In recent years he has spent several hundred thousand dollars of his personal assets running against well funded establishment candidates — bucking establishment figures like Mike Bloomberg and Al D’Amato. In 2012, Bloomberg and other largely downstate contributors spent over $2 million in attack ads against Stocker.
Voters have been impressed with his fortitude and perseverance, often seen battling party bosses and GOP headquarters. It is unclear if Chairman Nick Langworthy will field a candidate against Stocker. The 60th district has proven itself one of the most competitive Senate seats in the state, and has attracted many millions in campaign spending in the last two election cycles.
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