Incumbent Anthony M. Masiello, a Democrat, easily trounced his sole opponent in the primary, going on to win a third term with no serious opposition in the general election.

This was speculated as being due to reticence on the part of would-be candidates to "challenge a powerful and well-liked mayor like Masiello",[1] especially one with a campaign fund in excess of $1 million.

[2] It was also only the second time in history when the Democrats and Republicans endorsed the same candidate for mayor of Buffalo, a phenomenon made possible by New York State's electoral fusion law.

Despite her endorsement by fellow Councilmember Charley Fisher, and her candidacy's survival in the face of electoral petition challenges[3] and her own health problems,[4] Gray was badly outspent by Masiello, and her campaign was hampered by criticism by Erie County Democratic Party chairman G. Steven Pigeon of her tenure on the Council as "divisive" and "extremist",[5] and of her mayoral campaign as devoid of a coherent message and failing to make a real effort to reach voters outside the African-American community.

Buffalo Common Councilman-at-Large Charley H. Fisher initially declined to run,[13] but in early April 2001 said that he would challenge Masiello for the Democratic primary if neither Gray nor Pitts officially entered the race by April 24, calling the prospect of Masiello running unopposed in the primary "a disservice to the City of Buffalo" and remarking that the incumbent did not "deserve a free ride".