WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – A congressman from the Buffalo area who may end up representing Fort Drum says he’s ‘humbled’ by the prospect.
A proposed change in the boundaries of New York’s congressional districts would take most of Fort Drum and Watertown from Rep. Elise Stefanik, who now represents the base, and put it in a district now represented by congressman Chris Jacobs.
“It is just an incredible institution, and in this very dangerous world we’re in right now, the role they play is as significant as it’s ever been,” Jacobs said Tuesday.
“So I look forward to working with them as a partner and an advocate.”
In order to remain in congress, Jacobs – who, like Stefanik, is a Republican – will have to win the new 24th District seat, which covers eight counties stretching from western New York up to Jefferson County, all along the shore of Lake Ontario.
Jacobs said there is no reason to worry Drum and Watertown will be an afterthought, even though he’s from western New York.
“I will be present there and active there. I think they will find me to be a true representative of Fort Drum and the entire area,” he said.
The boundaries are being redrawn by Democrats in the state legislature, who control the process. They’re expected to vote this week on new boundaries for congress, the state assembly and the state senate.
If Stefanik loses most of Fort Drum, as seems likely, the post will lose an important advocate. Stefanik is the third highest ranking Republican in the House of Representatives and sits on the Armed Services committee.
Stefanik’s office has so far not commented on the potential change.
Jacobs is a conservative, and says he’s deeply concerned by the Biden administration “putting an unprecedented amount of money on the national credit card, which will be an obligation borne by our children and our childrens’ children. I think that’s highly irresponsible and dangerous for the future of the nation.”
Jacobs voted against impeaching former President Trump after the January 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol – “I just did not feel it rose to that level, and I think it was a very partisan exercise and unfortunately made a bad situation worse, I believe” – but he did vote to strip firebrand Republican freshman congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments and was one of 35 Republicans who voted for a “January 6 Commission.”
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