Born in Syracuse, NY, to Robert S. Walczyk, Jr. and Carolyn A. Walczyk, Walczyk is a graduate of the State University of New York, Albany. At age 26, Walczyk joined the US Army Reserve. He currently serves as a Captain in the 791st Forward Engineer Support Team.
Political career
In 2007, while attending SUNY Albany Walczyk interned in the NYS Senate through Student Programs. Later, in 2010, Walczyk worked on State Senator Patty Ritchie’s campaign and worked as her Legislative Director in the State’s Capitol thereafter. In 2013 he was appointed as Ritchie's district director. In 2015, Walczyk successfully ran for the Watertown City Council in a 4-way race. He served on the Council for 3 years before being elected to the Assembly. Walczyk announced in May 2018 that he would challenge incumbent Democratic Assemblywoman Addie Jenne, who had represented the Assembly's 116th district for 10 years. That November, Walczyk defeated Jenne with 53% of the vote. In the Assembly, Walczyk serves as the ranking Republican on the Social Services Committee and member of the following committees: Cities, Energy, Transportation, Higher Education. In January, 2020, Walczyk was appointed to the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources. Walczyk considers himself an environmentalist, earning the highest environmental voting record of any Assembly Republican, according to the NY League of Conservation Voters.
Military service
In 2012, Walczyk was recruited to serve as an Engineer Officer in the Army Reserve. In January 2013 he attended Basic Combat Training and Officer Candidates School at Ft. Benning, GA. In addition, Second Lieutenant Walczyk stayed for Airborne School and earned his jump wings. In August 2013, he attended the Air Assault course at Fort Drum, NY’s Light Fighter School and earned his Air Assault Badge along with high accolades for the fastest 12-mile ruck time in his class. Second Lieutenant Walczyk was assigned the role of Executive Officer of the ’ Forward Support Company. In 2015, he attended Basic Officer Leadership Course in Fort Leonard Wood, Sapper Leader Course, was reassigned as a Platoon Leader in the 366th Engineer Company, Canton, NY, and promoted to First Lieutenant. In July 2016, First Lieutenant Walczyk was ordered to take command of the . He served and led though WAREX that year, JRTC in 2017, and NTC in 2018.
Personal life
Walczyk lives in Watertown with his wife, Jessica, where they’re restoring a downtown building to its former glory. A lifetime angler, Walczyk enjoys fishing in his free time as well as hiking, camping, and spending time with family on the water. He is a member of the Watertown Noontime Rotary Club, Jefferson CountyAnimal Cruelty Task Force, American Legion Post 61, Italian American Civic Association, Friends of the MAC Nature Center, and Friends of Thompson Park. He is also a parishioner of the New Life Christian Church in Watertown. His favorite Buffalo Bills player of all time is the ever-inspirational Douglas Richard Flutie.
Walczyk got involved in tri-sport young, participating in Henderson Harbor Triathlon at age 13. To date, he’s competed in countless local triathlons and completed 4 full Ironman distance races:
