Joseph Zambon
In his December 29, 2024 email to constituents, Rep. Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY23) attempted to trumpet his first-term accomplishments representing Western New York and the Southern Tier. Langworthy proclaimed, “For the fiscal year 2024, I helped secure $22.2 million for 14 local projects that will enhance infrastructure, boost workforce training, and support law enforcement across NY-23. For fiscal year 2025, I secured an additional $21.6 million for 15 projects, pending final passage.” “Pending final passage” means it’s probably coming but not certain.
Hardly a Record to Boast About
Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Hank Nowak, who served parts of the same district as a congressman for 18 years, secured over a billion dollars in federal funding for Western New York, according to the Buffalo News. A lot more if you adjust for inflation. Among his notable achievements were extensions of Route 219 and the 400.
Nowak brought to his district an average of around $56 million annually—more than double the figure Langworthy proudly touts, without adjusting for inflation. The comparison is stark and revealing: Langworthy’s performance pales compared to the bar Nowak set decades ago.
“I Helped Secure” – What Does That Mean?
Langworthy’s choice of words is also curious. When he claims, “I helped secure,” he presumably means funding from bills he either voted for or bills that his party supported. However, given the Republican Party’s well-documented habit of taking credit for projects they opposed, skepticism is warranted. They even show up for ribbon cuttings for projects they voted against.
Support for Infrastructure – Really?
Langworthy describes “infrastructure” as part of what he’s brought to the district. Let’s not forget that Republicans vehemently opposed President Biden’s infrastructure bill. Their opposition wasn’t rooted in policy concerns; they weren’t against infrastructure improvements that the nation critically needs.
Their leader, Trump, vocally opposed the infrastructure bill to prevent giving the Democrats “a win.” It was a sore point with him. Despite nearly every week of his term being “Infrastructure Week, ” Trump couldn’t pass an infrastructure bill.
It’s also worth recalling Trump’s sabotage of the bipartisan border bill negotiated by Republican Senator James Lankford. Trump derailed it to keep immigration as a campaign wedge issue, casually throwing Lankford—a minister—under the proverbial bus. This is the political landscape virulently MAGAist Langworthy navigates. He’s content with crumbs for his district.
Langworthy conveniently omits specifics about the projects he purportedly “helped secure.” Even if we grant him the benefit of the doubt and assume he genuinely contributed to these efforts, his results are underwhelming. Western New York and the Southern Tier need far more than he has delivered.
New York Sends More to Washington Than It Gets Back
Consider the broader context: New York State contributes $85 billion more to the federal treasury annually than it receives. That’s over $2,425 for every resident of the state. While the discrepancy between what New York sends to Washington and what it gets back isn’t solely Langworthy’s fault, his claims of success are insulting in light of how little his district gets.
If Langworthy and Trump Are Besties, Why Doesn’t NY23 Get More?
Langworthy never misses an opportunity to boast about his close ties to Donald Trump. But if he’s so close, why isn’t he leveraging that relationship to secure more federal money for NY23? This district ranks among the poorest in New York, crying out for substantial federal intervention to spur economic growth and improve quality of life. Yet Langworthy appears more interested in saying he’s getting results than in actually getting results.
Tim Kennedy (D-NY26) Fighting For His District
Compare Langwothy’s first-term performance with that of Tim Kennedy (D-NY26), who represents Buffalo and Western New York. Kennedy hasn’t even served a full term yet, but Kennedy has already demonstrated what effective representation looks like. In January, he will introduce the Support Neighborhoods Offset Winter Damage Act (SNOW Act), which would require FEMA to provide aid for snowstorm recovery—an important issue for New York and other snow states that would bring federal dollars to localities.
When asked for comment on Kennedy’s proposal, Langworthy’s office replied, “I’ll always support efforts to ensure our communities have the resources they need to prepare for and recover from these events.”
Will He? If He’s Sincere, He’ll Co-Sponsor Kennedy’s Bill.
Words don’t solve problems—action does. Kennedy took the initiative by crafting a concrete legislative proposal. Langworthy remains on the sidelines, content to provide minimal support from a distance.
Like Trump throwing Senator Lanford under the bus over immigration, I guess that Langworthy would throw his congressional district under the bus if it got in the way of his political ambitions. He’s not content just being a congressman. He’s plotting another move.
Lots of Bills, Very, Very Few Laws
Langworthy isn’t shy about introducing bills. He wrote in his email, “I introduced 27 bills and one resolution while co-sponsoring 362 other measures.”
That’s a nice statistic, but it conveniently omits a crucial metric—how many of those bills became law?
As previously noted on this blog, politicians like Langworthy and newly-appointed New York State Assembly Republican Whip David DiPietro love to introduce bills, particularly messaging bills, knowing full well that most of them will never see the light of day. This strategy allows them to pad their resumes without delivering substantive results.
And to satisfy the “crazies’ who support them. DiPietro, for example, introduced a six-week abortion bill and a mandatory fetal ultrasound bill, knowing neither had a snowball’s chance in hell of becoming law.
Introducing a Bill Is Not the Same as a Bill Becoming Law. Langworthy Doesn’t Understand This.
Langworthy’s constituents deserve more than empty boasts and half-measures. They deserve a representative who will fight tooth and nail for federal funding, advocate for meaningful infrastructure improvements, and deliver economic support that can transform NY23.
So far, Langworthy hasn’t risen to the occasion.
The Question Remains: Why Doesn’t Langworthy Fight for His District?