CLARENCE, N.Y. -- Republican U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy is wrapping up his freshman term in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

He said it's been a busy two years traveling across the large district that includes parts of Western New York and the Southern Tier.

"It certainly makes campaigning easier when they don't just see you when you're looking for votes and I think that's been something I've tried to do from the very beginning," Langworthy said.

The congressman previously served as the head of the state Republican Party and the Erie County Republican Committee prior to that. However, he cut his teeth as a congressional staffer for former Rep. Tom Reynolds where he said he learned the value of constituent services.

"We have a little motto in our office that no problem is too big and no problem is too small. If the constituent calls with a problem, it's their biggest problem," Langworthy said.

Democrat Tom Carle said Langworthy is doing constituents no favors with his unbridled support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Carle said the former president shouldn't even be in the race.

"[Trump is] an insurrectionist in my opinion so he shouldn't even be running and my opponent endorses him," Carle said.

Carle said he has a diverse professional background that includes management positions in food and beverage manufacturing and human resources, as well as owning a bar. He said his jobs have taken him all over the district and country.

Originally from Broome County, he now lives in Fredonia with his wife and young family.

"As we saw congressional gridlock and chaos, my wife and I looked at each other and said isn't there some skills that you have from work that you could go to Congress and maybe help out with some of this stuff and get rid of the chaos gridlock and actually get some legislation passed?" Carle said.

He said women's reproductive rights is one of the most important issues on the ballot this year and one that is important to him personally too.

"I have four daughters and five granddaughters and we all know what's going on with reproductive rights and women's reproductive rights and defending semocracy so I have a lot of the skin in the game," Carle said.

Langworthy believes his opponent and Democrats in general are focusing on abortion to distract from the real issues, including an affordability crisis.

"This district feels it very strongly and we have got to get this element under control. It starts by putting Washington on a diet," Langworthy said.

Langworthy said he has worked across the aisle, especially on local issues including veteran's affairs, the northern border and flight safety. Carle said he shares common ground with Republicans in the district as well, as a gun owner with a background growing up on a farm.