Democrats in Western New York are calling Republican David DiPietro an absentee assembly member.

"There's no excuse for missing this much time," Democratic candidate Luke Wochensky said.

Wochensky released a report Thursday showing his opponent missed nearly 350 votes last session alone — significantly more than the rest of Republican assembly members in Western New York combined.

 "We need someone who's going to work every single day for the residents of this district. We have not had that. Other districts have," he said.

DiPietro said he's taken roughly 7,700 votes in the last two years and because of how the Assembly packages things, the majority of missed votes could have happened over a few days when he was sick or there was a snowstorm.    

"This was probably my toughest year," he said. "I got sick twice. I have diverticulitis, okay. I missed three days from that right there. I drove myself back from Albany doubled over and went right to the hospital."

The incumbent, meanwhile, scoffed at the claim in Wochensky's report that he's tied for the most absences of the entire Assembly. DiPietro pointed out his opponent compiled the data based on per diem records, which he says is a flawed method.

"I don't abuse taxpayer money. I come home when we’re not in session. We’re done. Mr.Wochensky doesn't understand," he said.

The Republican said Wochensky is trying to distract from the fact he has not released his taxes. DiPietro released his own and says the challenger should since he claimed, under oath during a residency challenge, not to have paid state income taxes in 2014 and 2015.

"This is smoke and mirrors. When you don't have a record to run on you try to come up with falsehoods that will distract from the problems our district is facing. I don't owe any taxes, period," Wochensky said.

He said the issue was settled in court but DiPietro said only his residency was settled, not his taxes.