 He is one of two members of the Conservative Party to be elected to the United States Congress along with James L. Buckley, who was elected to the United States Senate from New York's Class I seat in 1970.After serving in Suffolk County, New York's county legislature Carney was elected to the United States House of Representatives with the support of the Republican Party.He was reelected three more times before changing his party affiliation to Republican in 1985 in an attempt to gain a leadership position in the Republican House caucus.