Lamb Stumps For Votes In Utica-Rome, Touches On Hanna’s Alleged Threat

Utica, NY (WIBX) - He's the Democrat hoping to unseat Republican Congressman, Richard Hanna this November. Dan Lamb is campaigning in Rome and Utica today. "To tell people what I would do in office and to let them know that I'm not gonna do one thing in the district and another one down in Washington, and that I'm gonna be the same person," he said. Lamb says he wants to draw a bright line between himself and the man he's hoping to beat on November 6.

He toured Revere Copper Products, Inc. in Rome to address manufacturing concerns in upstate, NY. "I can't see anyway that they could gather any more efficiency in what they're doing, what we need is to have fair trade laws, so we can make sure that this company and many others like it can compete successfully around the globe," Lamb said when asked about his meeting with company Chairman, Brian O'Shaughnessy.

He also made a stop at the Senior Center in New York Mills to talk about his position on healthcare. "Talking to seniors about what's happening with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and some of our tax policies in this country, the trade-offs that we're making--I want them to know that I get it," he said.

Lamb attended the monthly NAACP meeting in Utica last night, explaining his platform to those in attendance, and addressing the issues he plans to champion if he wins the election. Lamb explained how healthcare issues impact his own life, saying his 12-year-old son has special needs that require him to be on the Medicaid system, "I have a stake in the game," he said. He also touched on the controversy surrounding Hanna allegedly threatening to pull advertisement dollars from local television station, WUTR, if it aired a program featuring Lamb.

"He said if they broadcast any program that features me, that he would remove his ad dollars from their station and this can amount to tens of thousands of dollars in television ads--it's very expensive to put up your television ads, so the threat of removing the ads was a very profound thing for the station. So, the station, you know, needing that revenue--I mean, they're kind of the victim in the situation--say we can't lose all that revenue, and they caved into Mr. Hanna's demands to pull the plug on airing this program," Lamb said.

Hanna, who only recently started campaigning for another term to represent New York's newly redrawn 22nd District, denied the allegations. In the meantime, Lamb continues to stump for votes in the region with the elections exactly one month away.

Hanna and Lamb have agreed to participate in 6 debates. With one already in the bag, below are the remainder debate dates and times: