Buffalo has been on the rise over the past couple of years, from the development of Canalside, to the planned opening of Solar City. Buffalo is becoming a destination for everyone, businesses and job seekers alike, including presidential hopefuls.

With the primary elections in New York quickly approaching, the candidates are seeing the importance of the growing population and economy in Buffalo.

Hillary Clinton kicked off the visits on April 8, followed by Bernie Sanders on April 11, and Donald Trump will be visiting on April 18, with Ted Cruz anticipated in the coming days.

Some would argue that the candidates should be focused on New York City and the downstate area due to their higher population. I believe the candidates see the potential in showing they care about Western and Upstate New York. They see the importance of New York’s second largest city, and the potential Buffalo has.

Much like the businesses that are taking a chance and investing in Buffalo, the candidates are investing time and resources in Western New York. Each candidate may have their separate reasons for targeting Buffalo, but the fact that they’re doing so shows promise.

In the past, candidates often ignored the Western New York area, most likely due to the poor condition it has been in. The rise of Buffalo may be in its infancy, but the impact it’s making can be seen on a national level.

I had the good fortune to attend the Sanders rally on Monday at the University of Buffalo’s Alumni Arena.

Sanders spoke to over 8,000 people inside, and over 3,000 outside the arena who were denied access. He sees the way Buffalo has been affected by the loss of American manufacturing jobs. Sanders citied the loss of jobs when companies decided to send manufacturing jobs to Mexico following the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Sanders also spoke of his commitment to investing in young people and their future, rather than giving more breaks to corporations. Buffalo and its large student population would benefit from the policies Sanders plans to execute, such as his commitment to unions, refinancing existing student loans, and making public colleges tuition free.

Sanders’ stance on issues such as water quality, police corruption, and the power of small businesses shows how much he cares about smaller cities like Buffalo.

His commitment to improving the lives of all people, not just the wealthy, displays his willingness to work. He doesn’t take shortcuts and focus all of his attention on people who are already in a favorable position. He is willing to work with the poor, minorities and the working class all across the United States.

In the coming days, we will see how Trump and Cruz plan to address Buffalo and attempt to sway voters in the New York Primary.

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