VARYSBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) -Republican leaders have narrowed down their top choice to possibly fill the vacant 27th Congressional District Seat vacated by Republican Chris Collins.



According to a Jacobs spokesperson, leaders of the district’s eight counties have chosen State Senator Chris Jacobs. Republican leaders spent Saturday interviewing Republican candidates at the Byrncliff Golf Club in Varysburg.



Those candidates included State Senators Chris Jacobs and Rob Ortt, family law attorney Beth Parlato, Lewiston native Jeffrey Freeland, and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw.



The Democratic candidate in the 27th congressional district race is Nate McMurray, who ran for the seat in 2018.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has not officially announced when the special election will be, but according to the state GOP chairman, the plan is to hold the special election on the same day as the Democratic Primary on April 28.