The congressman from the 24th District is Richard Hanna, a Republican elected in 2010. Hanna grew up in the district; he was born in Utica and graduated from Whitesboro High School. When his father died in 1971, the 20-year-old Hanna became the main source of income for his mother and four sisters. But he was determined to go to college, and earned enough to put himself through Reed College in Portland, Ore., graduating in 1976. But his money ran out before he could get a master’s degree, so he decided to start a business. Since his father had been a carpenter, Hanna started a construction company. For five years he lived in a barn he built, and worked at whatever jobs his fledgling company could pick up. Hanna Construction eventually grew to employ more than 450 people. A licensed pilot, Hanna also volunteered with Angel Flights, a service that provides free transport to the sick and injured in need of long-distance transportation. Read More

The congressman from the 24th District is Richard Hanna, a Republican elected in 2010. Hanna grew up in the district; he was born in Utica and graduated from Whitesboro High School. When his father died in 1971, the 20-year-old Hanna became the main source of income for his mother and four sisters. But he was determined to go to college, and earned enough to put himself through Reed College in Portland, Ore., graduating in 1976. But his money ran out before he could get a master’s degree, so he decided to start a business. Since his father had been a carpenter, Hanna started a construction company. For five years he lived in a barn he built, and worked at whatever jobs his fledgling company could pick up. Hanna Construction eventually grew to employ more than 450 people. A licensed pilot, Hanna also volunteered with Angel Flights, a service that provides free transport to the sick and injured in need of long-distance transportation.

In May 2008, Hanna set out to run against freshman Democrat Michael Arcuri, who had won the seat 54%-45% in 2006 after veteran Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, a Republican moderate, retired. Hanna did not get much support from national Republicans, but he held Arcuri to a 52%-48% victory even as Democrat Barack Obama was carrying the district. In 2010, Hanna was back for a rematch, running as a fiscal conservative opposed to government bailouts and, like Boehlert, a moderate on cultural issues. He supported abortion rights and civil unions for gay couples, but dubbed the Democrats’ health care legislation “ill-conceived.”

Arcuri voted for the Democrats’ health care bill in November 2009, but voted against the final version in March 2010. That cost him the ballot line of the union-controlled Working Families Party, so he created his own Moderate Party to give him a second ballot line. On one issue, Hanna ran to Arcuri’s left: Arcuri opposed the building of a mosque and Islamic center near Ground Zero in Manhattan, while Hanna issued a statement supporting the developer’s right to build it, though he later said it would be “insensitive.”

Hanna’s business became an issue in the campaign. Arcuri aired an ad questioning Hanna’s commitment to restraining government spending, noting his business received $4 million in government contracts, including $1 million that came in while Hanna’s uncle was mayor and comptroller of Utica. Arcuri also noted that Hanna’s firm has been sued for injuries and was cited 12 times for health and safety violations. Hanna responded that he went through proper avenues when working with his uncle, and that he did not seek favors. Hanna said that any company doing as much construction work as his was bound to accrue some violations and lawsuits.

Arcuri raised and spent $1.9 million, while Hanna raised and spent $1.3 million, $270,000 of it his own money. Hanna won 53%-47%, carrying eight of 11 counties. Hanna was one of two Arab-Americans elected in the large GOP freshman class in 2010; the other was Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich.