Campaign Finance: 44% PAC Dependency and Energy Sector Alignment
Why This Matters for NY-23
With only 3.48% of contributions from small donors and 44% from PACs, Langworthy’s funding comes overwhelmingly from organized interests rather than constituents. His top legislative priority — the Energy Choice Act — directly benefits the energy companies among his largest donors. Whether this represents “influence” is interpretive; that the pattern exists is documented in public FEC filings that no local media outlet has examined.
Overview
This entry examines Rep. Langworthy’s campaign finance patterns using publicly available FEC filings. Heavy PAC reliance is common among incumbents and is not inherently improper. However, the alignment between donor sectors and legislative priorities is a factual pattern that has received no examination from any local news outlet.
The Record: FEC Data
2024 Election Cycle
| Source | Amount | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Individual contributions | $889,804 | 46.1% |
| PAC/Committee contributions | $856,664 | 44.4% |
| Small donors (under $200) | ~$67,000 | 3.48% |
| Total receipts | $1,931,076 | 100% |
2025-2026 Cycle (through 12/31/2025)
| Source | Amount | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Individual contributions | $618,194 | 42.4% |
| PAC contributions | $577,509 | 39.6% |
| Transfers from other committees | $224,697 | 15.4% |
| Total receipts | $1,457,252 | 100% |
Cash on hand (12/31/2025): $1.94 million
Key Donors and Sectors
Energy Industry
| Source | Amount/Cycle |
|---|---|
| Oil & gas interests | $27,900 (2022 cycle) |
| Koch Industries PAC | Multiple contributions |
| Marathon Petroleum PAC | Contributor |
| National Fuel Gas affiliates | Contributor |
Other Major Contributors
| Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| AIPAC | $31,550 (2024 cycle) |
| Leadership PACs from other members | $95,700 |
Leadership PAC
Langworthy operates Circle the Wagons PAC, which disbursed $71,500 to other political committees in 2025.
The Policy Connection
Energy Choice Act (H.R. 3699)
Langworthy’s signature legislation prohibits states and localities from banning energy services based on fuel type—directly targeting New York’s All-Electric Buildings Act.
Timeline:
- Introduced after receiving significant energy-sector contributions
- Passed E&C Committee in December 2025
- Langworthy sits on Energy and Commerce Committee (Energy/Environment subcommittee)
Committee Assignments
All three committees have direct relevance to donor industries:
| Committee | Donor Industry Relevance |
|---|---|
| Energy and Commerce | Oil/gas, utilities |
| Agriculture | Agricultural PACs |
| Oversight | Regulatory oversight affecting all industries |
Comparison: Small Donor Reliance
| Metric | Langworthy | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Small donors (under $200) | 3.48% | Well below average for competitive races |
| PAC contributions | ~44% | High for a district this rural |
| Individual large donors | ~46% | Typical for incumbent |
What Local Media Has Not Covered
No local newspaper, TV station, or regional outlet has reported on:
- The ~44% PAC dependency ratio
- Energy-sector donor alignment with Energy Choice Act
- Geographic distribution of donors (how many are from NY-23?)
- Industry breakdown of PAC contributions
- Circle the Wagons PAC disbursements
Questions This Raises
What percentage of Langworthy’s individual donors are NY-23 residents vs. out-of-district?
Does the Energy Choice Act benefit his energy-sector donors more than NY-23 constituents?
With only 3.48% from small donors, how representative is his donor base of the district?
How do his legislative priorities correlate with his top donor sectors?
Why has no local media outlet examined these publicly available FEC filings?
Assessment
Heavy PAC reliance (roughly 40-44% of total receipts) is common among incumbents and is not inherently improper.
However, the alignment between energy-sector donors and Langworthy’s primary legislative initiative (the Energy Choice Act) is a factual pattern that has received no examination from any local news outlet.
Whether this constitutes “influence” is interpretive. That the pattern exists is documented in FEC filings.
Verdict: DOCUMENTED PATTERN — The funding sources and legislative priorities are matters of public record. The correlation is observable; causation is not claimed.
Sources
- FEC: Langworthy for Congress (C00817932), 2024 and 2026 cycle filings
- OpenSecrets: Rep. Nick Langworthy campaign finance summary
- Langworthy press release: Energy Choice Act passes E&C Committee, December 2025
- Olean Times Herald: “Langworthy introduces Energy Choice Act,” October 2023
- FEC: Circle the Wagons PAC disbursement records
Note on Standards
This entry presents publicly available FEC data without alleging illegality or corruption. PAC contributions are legal and common. The purpose is transparency: constituents can review the same data and draw their own conclusions about whether funding patterns align with district interests.
Note: This entry documents publicly available information from FEC filings and news reports. Readers may draw their own conclusions.
Last updated: February 7, 2026