Erie County Conservatives Draw Big Crowd at Fund-Raiser

Powerhouse: Ralph Lorigo, attorney and Chairman of the Erie County Conservative Party.

Surrogate Court Judge Barbara Howe, now running for re-election, may get an early endorsement from the Erie County Conservative Party.

Ralph Lorigo certainly can draw a crowd and that’s probably why he is the longest sitting party chairman in Erie County, serving in that role since 1994.

On Saturday, Lorigo’s Conservative Party fund-raiser at Lucarelli’s Banquet Center on Abbott Rd. in Lackawanna drew between 250 and 300 people to dine on eggs, sausage, French toast and politics.

Cost for the event was $85.

The roster of guests was extensive, including a host of current and would-be officeholders anxious to win the very important Conservative Party line (Row C) in upcoming elections.

Guests Saturday were too numerous to mention in total, but among the crowd were notables like Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III, newly elected Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw, Surrogate Judge Barbara Howe, and GOP State Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer. Also on hand were Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, former Erie County Democratic Chairman Steve Pigeon, and Erie County Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy.

Among the major political donors in attendance was Hormoz Mansouri.

Also in attendance: retired Supreme Court Judge Frank A. Sedita, Jr., son of Buffalo’s legendary mayor and father of the current district attorney. The list goes on and on.

Lorigo took the podium for brief remarks, thanking those in attendance for their support and vowing to continue to adhere to the strong principles of the Conservative Party going forward.

Lorigo said the party will be interviewing candidates for endorsement in April and May, but will consider an early endorsement for surrogate this week, with Judge Barbara Howe seeking re-election.