Three former GOP reps to host fundraiser for Democrat

BUFFALO, N.Y., Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Three ex-Republican congressmen will host a fundraiser for Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., saying "R" and "D" don't matter if the representative does a good job.

The three, former New York Reps. Jack Quinn, Amo Houghton and Thomas Reynolds, who also was a National Republican Congressional Committee chairman, will host the Higgins event Dec. 16 at the home of Republican fundraiser Anthony Gioia, The Buffalo News reported.

"The message I want to convey is Congressman Higgins has done a darn good job for Buffalo and western New York, and it doesn't matter whether he's a Democrat or Republican, he's a congressman and, in doing his job as a congressman, he's done a fine job for our community," Reynolds told Roll Call Thursday in phone interview.

Reynolds, who left the House in 2008 after a 10-year stint, also said he was frustrated with Washington gridlock.

"I believe that representatives also need to govern," he said, "and it's important that while everyone in Congress is entitled to express their views, I still think the founders looked at the fact that there is an expectation that the government will find solutions to the challenges at hand.

Higgins is unopposed and had $455,000 in cash in the bank at the end of the third quarter, Roll Call said.