On Sunday, Joyce Wilson Nixon, who is mounting a Democratic primary challenge to Erie County Legislature Chairwoman Betty Jean Grant for the Second District seat, posted a thank-you note on her campaign’s Facebook page to those who had cheered for her during Saturday’s Juneteenth parade.

Underneath her profile picture, she’d added this subtitle: “A official support page of Democrat Erie County Legislator Elect (district 2) Joyce Wilson Nixon.”

Her use of the word “elect,” signalling a presumption of victory, quickly drew the attention of Democratic Party activist Bruce Kogan, who supports Grant.

“Aren’t we counting our chickens too soon?” Kogan posted.

“@ BRUCE K. I FEEL THAT IF I SPEAK IT AND CLAIM VICTORY, IT WILL BE SO,” Nixon replied.

“So did Tom Dewey,” Kogan posted, referring to Dewey’s losing 1948 presidential campaign.

Nixon responded by referring to some inspirational stories within the family—stories which inspired Kogan to get at the heart of his objection to her candidacy: Nixon is the candidate supported by the faction that has coalesced around Cheektowaga party chairman Frank Max, a faction which includes the divisive former Erie County party chairman, Steve Pigeon, and the political team surrounding Mayor Byron Brown. Brown has declared a kind of truce with Max’s rival, Zellner, the current county chairman, but that truce is less than paper-thin: Nixon comes right out of the mayor’s camp, as does Barbara Miller-Williams, the former chairwoman of the Legislature, who may runa primary challenge to First District Legislator Tim Hogues.

“That’s all very well, but quite frankly I don’t like the company you are keeping in this campaign,” Kogan posted. “Tell me if you did get to the legislature, come 1/1/14 will you vote with the Democratic majority to keep Democrats in control? Or will you vote in coalition with the Republicans as several former members of the legislature did?”

“MY HUSBAND (JEFF NIXON #38) HAD THREE INTERCEPTIONS IN ONE GAME. I SEE MIRACLES EVERYDAY.. I BELIEVE !!!!!!!!” replied Nixon, whose husband is a former Buffalo Bill, followed by “I AM A DEMOCRAT. I WILL VOTE FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR EVERYONE IN ERIE COUNTY.”

To which Kogan replied, “A. Our Creator/Deity does not fix athetic contests. B. That’s telling me you will vote with the GOP if the powers that be deem it so.”

By the end of the exchange, Nixon had changed course and attributed the misuse of the term “elect” to “…A WONDERFUL VOLUNTEER. SORRY, HE MEANT WELL.”