The2003 Erie County, New York Executive election took place on November 4, 2003, to select the County Executive ofErie County, New York. Incumbent Republican County ExecutiveJoel Giambra ran for re-election to a second term, and he was challenged byAmherst Town Councilman Daniel Ward, the Democratic nominee. Gambia ultimately defeated Ward in a landslide, winning 55 percent of the vote to Ward's 45 percent.[1]
Giambra, who was viewed as a potential Republican candidate for Governor in2006,[4] announced his campaign for re-election on March 20, 2003, calling for the November election to "be a referendum on regionalism," "hope," and "opportunity."[5]
Local Democrats struggled to attract a candidate,[6] and eventually recruitedAmherst Town Councilman Daniel Ward, who referred to the Giambra administration administration as "brain dead."[3]
Giambra remained the frontrunner throughout the campaign, raising and spending significantly more than Ward.[7] Ward ran an aggressive campaign against Giambra, accusing him of favoritism in county contracts[8] and political patronage in hiring, which Gambia denied.[9]
