SAUQUOIT - Energy prices are weighing heavily on the minds of many Americans, especially farmers. It's already playing a role in the race for president, and has begun affecting the local congressional race as well.

Vincent Johns says he's paid twice as much for diesel fuel on his 1,200 acre farm this year, than he did a year ago - forcing him to raise prices.

"We have gone up 5-6%, grains up, snap beans, and that's about as much as the market will bear for us," Johns said.

He wants to see relief, and see it now, and republican, independent Congressional candidate Richard Hanna agrees, and says he'd help speed up the process if elected.

"What we need is a way to address this problem that sends a singular message to markets that we are going to use our own resources," Hanna said.

The campaign for incumbent Congressman Michael Arcuri offered this statement:

"While we work to bring down energy costs in the short term, we must focus on long-term investments in alternative energy and energy conservation - some of which is already happening right here in Upstate New York. We must embrace new, independent solutions from both republicans and democrats to bring immediate relief and invest in long term solutions."

Congress returns to session during the first week in September, and energy legislation is expected to be among the top issues they will face this Fall.

The energy conversation continued between these two campaigns because of an August disclosure statement saying that Hanna holds millions in oil investments.

Arcuri's campaign says "Richard Hanna owns more than $3 million in oil stocks, lining his pockets with profits while middle class families suffer at the pump...Hanna's benefited from big oil's record profits and sky-rocketing gas prices."

The response from the Hanna campaign was:

"These stocks that Richard owns are completely open to the public through his personal finance disclosure. Mike Arcuri can use all the smoke and mirrors that one would expect from a career politician, but the bottom line is his refusal to support new drilling is affecting pocketbooks of working families and family farms in Central New York."

Arcuri's camp did support the Drilling Responsibility in Lease Lands Act.