Mayor of Buffalo
Griffin was elected Mayor of Buffalo in November 1977 and was sworn in January 1, 1978. He had lost the Democratic primary for Mayor to then Deputy State Assembly Speaker Arthur Eve. In the general election he was the nominee of both the Conservative and Right-to-Life Parties and defeated Eve to be elected Mayor. He was reelected in 1981, 1985, and 1989.
As Mayor, Griffin was sometimes known for his outspoken personality. During the Blizzard of 1985, he recommended to Buffalo residents "go home, buy a six pack of beer, and watch a good football game." This earned him the nickname "Jimmy Six Pack."
While mayor he was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for Erie County Executive in 1991, losing to incumbent Dennis Gorski. In 1996, Griffin sought the Democratic nomination for President in the New Hampshire Primary, finishing a very distant eighth to Bill Clinton. After the "Spring of Life" demonstration in April 1992 where Griffin encouraged anti-abortion groups such as Operation Rescue to protest in Buffalo, he declined to seek a fifth term as Mayor and was succeeded by Democrat Anthony Masiello.
Read more about this topic: James D. Griffin
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