House Speaker John Boehner coming to Syracuse in August to raise money for Buerkle

For the second election in a row, Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, will be visiting central New York for a fundraiser to benefit U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle's campaign. 

Boehner will join Buerkle, R-Onondaga Hill, for a brunch reception at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 4 at the home of Deborah and Gerald Tracey in Cicero. 

There are three different pricing levels for the event. For $500, you can attend the general brunch reception, which begins at 10:30 a.m. For an additional $500 ($1,000 per person), you will be able to attend the reception and get a photo with Boehner. And for $2,500, you can attend a private roundtable event with Boehner. 

As I alluded to earlier, this isn't the first time Boehner has visited central New York to campaign for Buerkle.

In 2010, Boehner attended a fundraiser in Skaneateles to support Buerkle's campaign. Buerkle, at the time, was the challenger hoping to unseat then-Rep. Dan Maffei, a Democrat. And Boehner was the minority leader in the House leading Republican efforts to retake the majority. 

Buerkle won that election by 648 votes, and enough Republicans won around the country to give the GOP control of the House.

Now, Buerkle is the incumbent going up against two challengers in the newly drawn 24th Congressional District: Maffei and Green Party candidate Ursula Rozum. 

The fundraiser featuring Boehner should help boost Buerkle's campaign coffers. While Buerkle has raised more money this election cycle, Maffei has more cash on hand by about $115,000.