BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Associated Press has declared Jon Rivera the winner of the Democratic Primary for New York's 61st Senate District seat.
Rivera was facing off against incumbent Jeremy Zellner, who won a special election for the vacant seat in February. Zellner has conceded.
As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, with 96 percent reporting, Rivera had 55 percent of the vote (10,076) and Zellner had 45 percent of the vote (8,270).
New York's 61st Senate District includes parts of the Cities of Buffalo and Tonawanda, the towns of Amherst, Grand Island, and Tonawanda and the villages of Kenmore and Williamsville.
The general election will take place in November.
Rivera issued a statement on Tuesday night, which said in part:
"Tonight, the voters of the 61st Senate District delivered a clear and unmistakable message: they want change.
They voted for a future that puts working families first. They voted for leadership that shows up, listens, and delivers. They voted for a government that fights for everyday people instead of powerful special interests. And they voted for a vision of Western New York that is hopeful, inclusive, and moving forward.
I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust the people of this district have placed in me. This victory belongs to every volunteer who knocked on a door, every supporter who made a phone call, every labor member who stood with us, and every voter who believed that our community deserves a strong voice in Albany."
You can learn more about Rivera here.
You can find the results of the key races across Western New York here.
