Aaron Gies

Aaron Gies, Democratic and Working Families candidate for Congress in New York’s 23rd Congressional District, defeated primary opponent, Kevin Stocker, with more than 71% of the vote.

With 82% of the results in, 19,130 ballots have been counted so far across the large district, which includes parts of nine counties stretching from southern Niagara down to the Pennsylvania border and across the Southern Tier to Tioga County. Gies carried each county in the Southern Tier of at least 50 points.

Gies spent the day traveling across the district, thanking volunteers and poll workers. He ended the day at a watch party in Erie County where he delivered his victory speech.

“Tonight, we proved that this race has momentum,” Gies said. “That Western New York Democrats have not given in to cynicism. There is a fierce love that still drives us to the streets … to protest, to donate, to canvass, and to vote.”

Gies will face incumbent Republican Rep. Nicholas Langworthy in November.

“We all know what we’re up against,” Gies said. “The ultra-wealthy in this country control the social media algorithms that keep us angry and divided, the AI data centers sucking up our natural resources and raising our power bills, the crooked politicians getting rich off insider trading, who cut taxes for the wealthy and the corporations they control while they cut Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and VA benefits.”