26th District Race Focuses on Trade ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Democrats in many races for Congress are focusing on the Bush Administration's conduct of the war in Iraq. But in a key U.S. House race in western New York the debate has been turning on U.S. trade policy.

The 26th Congressional District stretches from the east side of Buffalo, across Erie and Genesee Counties to the west side of Rochester.

Democrat Jack Davis of Akron in Erie County wants to take the seat from Republican incumbent Tom Reynolds. Reynolds is from Clarence, also in Erie County.

Davis owns a factory in Erie County that makes ceramic heating elements. He says unfair foreign competition is the biggest threat to the region's jobs, and Reynolds isn't doing much about it. He says Reynolds supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and Most Favored Nation trade status for China.

Davis says the foreign trade deficit with China and other nations is costing the U.S. $2.5 billion a day and is killing American jobs.

Davis wants tariffs imposed on goods from countries that have a trade imbalance with the U.S. He says that's a level playing field that will keep American factories competetive.

But Reynolds says tariffs are taxes on consumers and protectionism will backfire. He says tariffs helped lead to the Great Depression.

Reynolds says he's for the U.S. Trade Rights Enforcement Act which would make trading nations like China play by the rules.

But Davis says Reynolds has been telling local manufacturers he supports a tariff on China while he's been running campaign ads attacking them as tax hikes. He says Reynolds is saying different things to different audiences.
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