Key Points
- Rep. Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY23) served simultaneously as New York State GOP Chair and congressional candidate, and then U.S. Congressman.
- Fellow Republicans criticized this, calling it “absolutely unacceptable” and “unethical and improper.”
- Langworthy promised to resign as state party chair if he were elected.
- After being elected, he held both positions for four months, finally resigning in March 2023.
Langworthy Faced GOP Criticism for Dual Role as Congressman and State Party Chair
In 202-23, Rep. Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY23) faced criticism from his own party for simultaneously holding two powerful positions: Chair of the New York State Republican Party and Member of Congress. Critics called it a conflict of interest and a broken campaign promise.
Primary Campaign Controversy
The controversy began when Langworthy declined to step down as state party chair while running in the 2022 Republican primary for NY-23 against Carl Paladino. The race was particularly notable given the candidates’ history: Langworthy, as Erie County GOP Chair, had been the only state official to endorse Paladino’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign against Andrew Cuomo. The two had also collaborated in supporting Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.
The 2022 primary became contentious, with $946,757 targeting Paladino from the American Liberty Action PAC. Langworthy ultimately won with 51.1% of the vote compared to Paladino’s 46.9%.
During the general election campaign against Democrat Max Della Pia, criticism mounted that Langworthy’s dual responsibilities were preventing him from effectively supporting other Republican candidates, particularly gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin, who was facing Democrat Kathy Hochul.
Republican Party Criticism
Several prominent Republicans publicly criticized Langworthy’s decision to maintain both positions simultaneously.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani also weighed in during a Newsmax appearance, saying: “Langworthy should resign. You can’t be the head of the party and run for office at the same time — it’s unethical and improper.”
But Langworthy also had his defenders. Suffolk County GOP Chair Jessie Garcia, countered that there was “no drop-off of attention from Nick on party matters whatsoever.”
Broken Campaign Promise
In October 2022, facing mounting pressure, Langworthy pledged to resign as state party chair if elected to Congress. He won the November general election decisively, receiving 64.9% of the vote against Democrat Max Della Pia.
However, Langworthy did not immediately resign from his party position after winning the election. From November 2022 through March 2023, he held both titles: first as congressman-elect, then as a sitting U.S. Representative while continuing to serve as state party chair.
According to his 2023 financial disclosure, Langworthy received a final party salary payment of $5,769.19, after which he continued in the unpaid role for more than two additional months before finally stepping down in March 2023.
Historical Context
While unusual, Langworthy’s situation was not entirely unprecedented. Fewer than 5-10 people in recent decades have simultaneously held positions as both members of Congress and state party chairs.
Rep. Nikema Williams has chaired the Georgia Democratic Party since 2019 and continued in that role after her 2020 election to Congress. Rep. Robin Kelly represented Illinois’s 2nd Congressional District starting in 2013 and assumed leadership of the Illinois Democratic Party in 2021. She can not raise money for state and local candidates due to federal campaign finance restrictions.
The key distinction in Langworthy’s case was his explicit campaign promise to resign from the party position, a commitment he did not immediately honor.
Ethical Considerations
The dual roles present potential conflicts of interest that ethics experts have noted in similar situations. Federal campaign finance laws restrict how members of Congress can participate in fundraising for state and local candidates, which can limit the effectiveness of a congressman serving as state party chair.
The House Ethics Manual advises members to avoid activities that could erode public trust. Critics argued that simultaneously serving as both a representative of all constituents and as a partisan party leader created inherent tensions between the roles.
House rules do permit political activity by members. Still, the practical challenges of managing both responsibilities effectively, along with the potential for conflicts of interest, help explain why so few members of Congress choose to maintain dual roles.
Langworthy eventually resigned from the state party chair position in March 2023, approximately four months after winning the election and over two months after taking his congressional oath of office.
