George Burns

Thomas Carle

Two longshot candidates from Fredonia have received an extension to gather 3,500 signatures by the end of this month in an effort to make a run for U.S. Congress. Both Republican George Burns and Independent Thomas Carle have indicated a willingness to run potentially against powerhouse Claudia Tenney, who received the Republican endorsement, and Max Della Pia, who will represent the Democrats.

In the meantime, the successful Republican court challenge regarding the redrawn state maps for Congressional districts have changed the timetable for the primary, which has been moved from June to August. The challenge also created an urgency to having the borders redrawn with a special court master.

“Oversight is required to facilitate the expeditious creation of constitutionally conforming maps for use in the 2022 election and to safeguard the constitutionally protected right of New Yorkers to a fair election,” noted the ruling, which came down last week.

Even with the added chaos, both candidates are aware of the uphill battle. Burns, who considers himself a political outsider and is retired U.S. Coast Guard veteran, says the country needs to consider “a great reset” that includes faith, prayer, traditional two-parent families and an appreciation for the true cost of freedom.

“In the past short year the country has been nearly destroyed,” Burns said. “Regardless of party, entrenched career politicians, big time lawyers and those in office motivated by personal ambition have created the world we now live in. … The reality is that there are no political solutions to what are in essence social, moral and spiritual problems.”

Burns is known locally for his work memorializing the men of Chautauqua County who have been killed in our nations wars in the book, “No One Forgets,” and as a speaker at Dunkirk’s annual Memorial Day events. He is a vocal conservationist, and as such, an opponent to wind power.

He said that at the county and local levels, there is really little difference between Democrats and Republicans. “It seems as if disagreements revolve around personalities and small power struggles, rather than higher party ideologies,” Burns said.

Those interested in helping his campaign can contact Burns at gburns@marportsecurity.net. “I think the mix of good people and values are where most of us are these days given the foolishness we routinely read about in Washington, D.C.,” he said.

Carle and his wife, Sarah, moved to Western New York to be closer to family in 2017, after relocations for work that took him to Toronto, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Toledo. He is originally from the Binghamton area.

In his career, he has managed budgets in excess of $150 million a year, grown businesses and made them profitable, prioritized employee safety while leading continuous improvement projects and capital installations. He was self-employed and negotiated union contracts and walked picket lines to mediate a strike. He said he was even asked by union members at a former facility to intervene on their behalf to bring the company, union and Ministry of Labor to the table to resolve another strike. He believes that he can have the same types of successes as a congressional representative.

“I embrace the good ideas, sound platforms and principles of both major parties and is not afraid to compromise for everyone’s best outcome,” Carle said. “As an Independent, I can also represent us all, the way we want, understanding our needs as a district, and delivering on those needs, untethered by partisan lines. It is the way that government is supposed to serve!”

The reasons that Carle has decided to mount this campaign include: immigration reform that also allows the farming industry to prosper; tax reform that is fair and promotes the economy and the laborer; fostering voter participation; stemming the rise of misinformation; equality and discrimination; substance use disorder and mental welfare; stopping inflation at its sources; re-developing the supply chain within our own country; and investing in our infrastructure and industrial corridor

Carle also criticized the Republican nominee Tenney, noting she does not reside in the district and is vying for the vacant spot, likely because the 23rd has been “reliably red.”

“Her loyalties are well-known and firmly with the former president,” he said. “That loyalty is counter-productive for the Southern Tier, as they support cuts to vital programs and subsidies that many of our counties rely on, and environmental protections that our farms, tourism and hospitality industries require.”

For more on Carle, visit carle4congress.com.