One thing you can say about this year's challenger to Rep. Brian
Higgins: He's tanned, rested and ready — especially tanned.

Daniel J. Humiston, president and founder of the Tanning Bed chain, is
expected to face the popular Democratic incumbent on the Republican
line and possibly minor party lines, too.

Though his assignment is a tough one, party sources are smiling as
broadly as the familiar Tanning Bed logo over the prospect of another
wealthy businessman in the mode of County Executive Chris Collins
facing a "career politician."

"He's been to Washington, he has a consultant, and he's been to
candidate school," said a knowledgeable party source. "He's ready to
run a real campaign for Congress."

The source also said Humiston will officially announce his candidacy
soon. He is a member of the Independence Party but is not expected to
encounter any difficulties in gaining the GOP endorsement.

It is known that Humiston, 44, is quietly building an organization and
talking with leaders of several parties. He did not return a call
seeking comment.

The new candidate lives at Admiral's Walk on the Buffalo water-front.
With a loan from his grandfather, he built his operation into a
company with 34 outlets across New York State.

The company's Web site says the Tanning Bed is the largest operator of
tanning facilities in the United States, with as many as 50 beds in
many of its outlets.

Though Higgins enjoys advantages of incumbency and party registration
(207,740 Democrats to 122,198 Republicans in the 27th Congressional
District), Humiston will provide far tougher competition than token
opponent Michael J. McHale in 2006.

Humiston is expected to bring a substantial amount of his own dollars
to the campaign and be able to tap into a fundraising network of close
friends and business associates both locally and nationally.

In addition, Humiston starts in good shape with the top minor parties,
Independence and Conservative, which often can prove important in a
close election.

As an Independence member, he is automatically entitled to seek that
line (after circulating designating petitions), while party leaders
would have to endorse a candidate from another party and provide an
authorization to run on the Independence line.

While Higgins has run with Independence backing in the past, some
members of his political operation have encountered rocky relations
with Erie County Independence Chairman Anthony L. Orsini over the last
year.

Higgins also has run afoul of the Conservative Party in recent years,
though the party often backed him in his races for the Assembly. In
2006, state Conservative Chairman Michael R. Long overruled local
Conservative leaders and denied the party's endorsement to Higgins
because he supports late-term abortions. State Conservative leaders
consider opposition to the procedure a prerequisite for support.

At the time, Higgins blamed his denial of the line on Rep. Thomas M.
Reynolds, R-Clarence, and then-Gov. George E. Pataki, who both
maintain strong ties to Long. He called the organization a "party in
decline."

While Long has not specifically addressed the Higgins situation this
year, he has not espoused any change in his position on late-term
abortions.