OLEAN — A St. Bonaventure University theology professor is running for Congress.

Aaron Gies, an assistant professor of theology and Franciscan studies at St. Bonaventure University, announced his candidacy for the 2026 midterm election for the 23rd Congressional District.

A campaign website, www.aaronforny23.com, launched Monday.

“We’re in an affordability crisis in New York State. The American Dream is out of reach for most people,” said Gies in a statement. “A government that favors those at the top isn’t just wrong because it’s unfair, it’s wrong because it doesn’t work. This crisis can only be solved by all of us together. Rural folks know how to take care of themselves. They need their government to support them, not sell them out to elite interests.

Gies criticized incumbent Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-Pendleton, who has represented the district since 2023.

“I’m running for Congress because government only works when leaders put the people first,” Gies said. “Nick Langworthy won’t meet with his constituents. He rubber-stamps everything the Trump administration does, no matter what it means for those he serves. Tariffs and high prices are hurting our small businesses, funding cuts are killing our local hospitals and schools, and working families are struggling to pay for housing while special interests are celebrating their government largesse. Western New Yorkers and residents of the Southern Tier are hardworking, resilient, and creative. Our government should invest in us, not exploit us for the benefit of greedy elites.”

Gies has been with SBU since 2019, according to information from the university’s website, first as a fellow and in 2021 as a faculty member. He is associate editor of Franciscan Studies, the Franciscan Institute’s academic journal, and is also a research fellow of the Collegio San Bonaventura/Frati editori di Quaracchi in Rome. He has also taught at The Catholic University of America and Limestone College. He also serves on the board of the nonprofit Canticle Farm in Allegany.

He is set to speak during an anti-Trump rally Saturday afternoon in Olean’s Lincoln Park.

The district includes Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung and Tioga counties as well as parts of Erie, Niagara, Schuyler and Steuben counties. The district voted in favor of Donald Trump in 2024 by 21 points, while the Cook Partisan Voting Index this year rated the district as R+10, meaning the district typically votes for Republicans at a rate 10 points higher than the national average. Langworthy, formerly the state’s Republican chairman, won the 2022 election by almost 30 points against Democrat Max Della Pia, and won the 2024 election by almost 32 points against Democrat Thomas Carle.

However, Gies noted several facts that may influence the election: The district has not had a serious Democratic challenger since redistricting in 2024; the majority of active voters in the district live in southern Erie County, which he said has been trending Democratic; and the tight connection between Langworthy and Trump and former GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino — who has come under fire for public comments in the past.