ELLICOTTVILLE, NY, March 12, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In a rare display of cross-party cooperation, Democratic candidate Aaron Gies and Republican challenger Jim King joined forces Monday night for a bipartisan town hall at the Ellicottville Town Center. The event, moderated by Kathleen King and sponsored by Good Neighbors Getting It Done in WNY, focused on restoring transparency and local representation to New York's 23rd Congressional District.

Both candidates are seeking to challenge incumbent Rep. Nick Langworthy in the 2026 election. Gies, a St. Bonaventure University professor, and King, a retired engineer and volunteer first responder, emphasized their shared commitment to traditional in-person town halls over the telephone-based sessions favored by the current administration.

Key highlights from the forum included:

Bipartisan Collaboration: The candidates are partnering on a district-wide tour to engage directly with voters and collect the signatures required for their respective primary ballots.

Economic & Social Security: Both Gies and King expressed the urgent need to stabilize Social Security, advocating for raising the payroll tax cap to ensure the program's long-term viability.

Immigration & Oversight: The candidates voiced concerns regarding current immigration enforcement tactics. Gies advocated for more inclusive policies and greater accountability for ICE, while King called for limited federal overreach and a return to local control.

Critique of Incumbency: King, a lifelong Republican, criticized the incumbent's alignment with national leadership and lack of local presence, while Gies highlighted the potential for the 23rd District to "flip" by appealing to unaffiliated voters.

The town hall concluded with a call for more civil discourse in American politics. "The America we knew is gone," Gies remarked, "Somehow we will fix it." King added that his primary goal is to ensure voters have a choice at the ballot box, despite the challenges of challenging an incumbent.

For more information on the candidates, visit AaronforNY23.com and king4ny23.com.

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