For years, Nick Langworthy has dedicated his political career to getting GOP lawmakers elected inside the Democratic stronghold of New York. Now, he’s one of 11 House Republicans from the Empire State headed to Congress as the party takes control of the lower chamber.
Langworthy has worked in the political realm since graduating from college, serving as a staffer for former Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-NY) on his 2004 and 2006 campaigns before working on Rep. Chris Lee’s (R-NY) staff from 2008 until 2010. He was elected as chairman of the Erie County Republican Party in 2010 and later elevated to chairman of the state GOP in 2019 — becoming the youngest state chairman in party history.
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“I think it’s certainly broadened my worldview a great deal because I’ve had to deal with the complexities of New York state as a whole and the interactions at all levels of government, from local to state to federal politics,” Langworthy told the Washington Examiner. “Being an adviser to many elected officials as they go about the business of governing, I think, has allowed me to see a lot of things.”
Langworthy defeated Democrat Max Della Pia in November, winning the seat for New York’s newly redrawn 23rd Congressional District that covers southern Erie County and the Southern Tier. The Republican chairman announced his bid for the open seat after incumbent Rep. Chris Jacobs (R-NY) dropped his reelection campaign in June following backlash for his support of some gun restrictions.
The district is considered a Republican bastion in an otherwise Democratic-dominated state, meaning a GOP primary winner is virtually assured of winning each cycle.
Langworthy joins a slew of other New York Republicans who will be entering Congress in January as the GOP takes control of the House for the first time since 2018. Eleven Republicans from New York have won their House races, turning the Empire State’s blue hue a bit paler.
“I certainly think it gives New York Republicans an important seat at the table,” Langworthy said. “This is the largest delegation New York has sent to the Republican conference in 20 years. So, I think we have a very critical seat at the table … and I think it’s going to put some pressure on our delegation to continue to elect the good people we’ve brought here in this election.”
But exerting GOP influence in the next Congress will still be an uphill battle, he acknowledged, as Republicans will only hold a narrow majority in the House and will remain in the Senate minority.
“This isn’t certainly the majority that I think anybody wanted,” Langworthy said, alluding to the “red wave” that failed to materialize on Nov. 8. “But it’s still a wonderful accomplishment to be in the majority and to drive the agenda.”
Looking ahead to the next two years, Langworthy is hoping for a position on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and has his eyes set on a number of priorities, including energy independence for the country and increased access to healthcare.
“This would mean jobs and opportunity, but it would also mean cheaper home heating for so many New Yorkers, and I think we need to find an all-the-above strategy that works for the country,” Langworthy said. “I’d like to use whatever levers that we can get our hands on in Congress to improve those facilities and also improve rural healthcare delivery, especially in our impoverished rural counties.”
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Langworthy pledged to work across the aisle to get things if it means creating jobs in his district.
“I’m not coming to the table with fierce partisanship in mind. You know, there’s certainly a time for partisanship and there’s a time to provide solutions,” he said. “And I think that we have to look about accomplishing things that are going to tackle inflation, and I don’t think that [it’s just] Democratic or Republican ideas that are going get that done.”
