Who is Nate McMurray?

Nate McMurray is a former town supervisor, business leader, two-time congressional candidate, attorney, and Fulbright Scholar running for the New York State Assembly—guided by perspective, persistence, and a refusal to quit.

That outlook has shaped his entire life in public service. Nate doesn’t fight for parties. He fights for values. And over the years, that has meant standing up to powerful Democrats, Republicans, party insiders, governors, and even presidents when he believed they were wrong. Not because it was convenient. Not because it was strategic. But because staying quiet has never fixed what was broken.

That same instinct led Nate to run for Congress against Chris Collins, a disgraced member of Congress, in one of the reddest districts in the country. Everyone said it couldn’t be done. He ran anyway—then ran again, this time against Collins’s equally wealthy successor.

Twice—against every political rule and polling model—Nate came within striking distance. A near-impossible outcome. Twice.

And now he’s back—taking on a long-time incumbent in a district many have written off. Not long ago, this was a blue seat. It changed. And that means it can change again.

Nate believes districts aren’t owned by parties—they’re shaped by people. Red or blue, he’ll fight for you.

Getting Things Done—For Real. Things You Can See!

Nate doesn’t just talk about fixing problems. He fixes them.

As Town Supervisor of Grand Island, he helped bring millions of dollars in investment into the community while leading multiple major projects at the same time. These weren’t symbolic wins. They were complicated, overlapping efforts that required persistence, coordination, and follow-through.

Under Nate’s leadership, Grand Island earned a AAA bond rating, the highest possible rating a municipality can receive. That didn’t happen by accident. It came from careful budgeting, long-term planning, and treating taxpayer money with respect. Nate believes that responsible—sometimes boring—financial management is one of the most underrated ways to improve people’s lives.

He also passed Western New York’s first comprehensive green energy and solar law and supported term limits, even knowing it could cost him politically.

The West River Trail

Nate also pushed forward the West River Trail, a project widely considered impossible. Despite fierce opposition and endless reasons to quit, the trail today forms the longest uninterrupted stretch of waterfront trail in Western New York, connecting Buckhorn State Park to Beaver Island State Park—miles of protected shoreline turned into a true regional asset.

Some of the same people who once fought the project now share the trail with him—walking, biking, and enjoying it alongside their neighbors.

Nate also delivered Phase I of the Scenic Woods Trail, breaking a logjam that had stalled progress for years. When complete, it will add to the thousands of acres of protected land on Grand Island that Nate fought for, along with millions of dollars in infrastructure investment that strengthened the community for the long term.

Building, Not Talking

Nate also helped complete the Western New York Welcome Center, securing the funding to do it right, and helped bring a major hotel property back to life after nearly 50 years—returning it to the local economy.

You can see it today. Just off the highway at the entrance to the North Grand Island Bridge, it glows blue at night—a former Hooker Chemical building restored and repurposed, turned from something forgotten into something useful again.

That’s how Nate works:

See what’s broken.

Stay with it until it’s fixed.

From North Tonawanda to the World—and Back

Nate grew up in North Tonawanda, one of seven kids, raised by his mom after his father died when Nate was young. Life was crowded. Money was tight. Winters were long. Walking home through the snow with a basketball and a saxophone was normal.

And somehow, that kid became a Fulbright Scholar. He studied law, earned a master’s degree at Tsinghua University in China, studied and worked in South Korea, and spent time at the Constitutional Court of Korea—long before any of that sounded impressive or fashionable. Long before anyone had heard of K-pop, he was listening to it in his headphones. Along the way, he learned Mandarin and Korean and gained a deep understanding of how power and systems really work.

But he never forgot where he came from. Deep down, he’s still that kid carrying a basketball and a saxophone home through a blizzard.

Nate believes in small miracles—not abstract ones, but the kind that happen when people don’t give up. And he believes opportunity should be real—not theoretical. He saw the world and came back with one conviction: our kids deserve the same chances, no matter their zip code.

He doesn’t want his story to be rare.

He wants it to be repeatable.

Why He’s Running—Again

Nate knows he’s not everyone’s idea of a “typical politician.” He’s said things out loud others would rather whisper. He’s stepped on toes. That’s what happens when you don’t hide behind safe talking points.

But he keeps showing up.

Someone once described Nate as an “oddly smiling, polite Terminator”—always moving forward, never stopping. That’s about right.

Nate says. “As Supervisor, I did what I had to do to get things done. I saw firsthand the power of good government — and I still can’t believe, looking around the region, how many leaders chose to not use it. They just hide under the desk instead.

You may not agree with me. That’s fine. But wouldn’t you rather have someone who actually tries, takes a position, and fights for results — instead of another guy who does nothing but smile and collect a paycheck? We have plenty of those!”

Why Can Win!

This district has been solidly Republican for more than a decade. Consultants say this race can’t be won. They’ve said that before.

Most people don’t even know who their Assembly member is. You’ll know who Nate is. You’ll see him. You’ll see the work. You’ll see change.

And here’s the good news. The incumbent has been in office forever. Over that time, people left, momentum faded, and things started to fall apart. Voters feel it. They want something different.

This district wasn’t always this way. It used to be a Democratic seat — and it worked when we had strong, engaged Democratic leadership. If you actually look at the issues that matter here, Nate believes more people agree with me than they’ve been told.

Nate can bring strong leadership back again.If you’re from Grand Island, you’ve already seen what he can do.

If you’re from North Tonawanda, you know his heart.

If you’ve worked with him in Lewiston, Youngstown, Wilson, or Niagara Falls, you know how hard he fights—and how deeply he believes in this place.

Niagara Falls and the Niagara region need real help. Not slogans. Not magic. Commitment.

This isn’t about labels or parties.

It’s about people showing up for a place they love.

What You Can Do Now

• Read the plan

• Volunteer and get involved

• Bring a friend

Weekly volunteer meetings begin March 1 and continue every week after that. This campaign is built the old-fashioned way—people talking to people, neighbors showing up for neighbors.

If this sounds like someone you want fighting for your family and your community, now is the moment.

Let’s do this—together!