Following the announcement businessman Dan Gagliardo will not run on the Republican ticket for the 61st State Senate seat, GOP leadership has confirmed to BTPM NPR they're petitioning a new candidate.
Erie County GOP Chairman Michael Kracker told BTPM NPR on Thursday afternoon they have a "petition on the street" for Christopher McMaster.
McMaster, an attorney, ran against Democratic incumbent Jeffrey Marion in November 2025 for Amherst town justice. Marion was reelected.
According to the Amherst Bee in 2025, McMaster has run his own private practice for over 20 years and has lived in Amherst for 18 years.
“I am not a politician, have never run for office before and have not been the beneficiary of appointments," McMaster told the Amherst Bee during his judicial run.
Gagliardo told BTPM NPR he has decided, in consultation with GOP leadership, not to run in the general election, after losing the special election for the seat in February.
"I think politically things are just way too divisive, and it's hard to get a gauge on what people are looking for, and I thought it would be a very difficult run going forward," Gagliardo said. "I wanted to regroup.
Like McMaster, Gagliardo was a newcomer to politics, bringing an approach that focused less on party alignment when he ran for town supervisor in 2025, and then for the State Senate seat in a special election last month. Gagliardo said he hasn't ruled out running in the future, but for now will focus on grassroots work.
"I would really like to pay more attention to: how do we get more people to vote?" Gagliardo said. "How do I get the word out that our mission statement should be we should treat people as businesses treat people, that they want all of them to come in and join in with what they serve."
"I would like to be on the grassroots of doing something like that, possibly working for a cause," Gagliardo added. "I think that would be great, because I really enjoyed talking to people. So, I'm keeping my my options open."
