In New York’s 21st Congressional District, incumbent Republican Elise Stefanik faces Democrat Matt Castelli. Among the biggest issues cropping up in the waning days of the campaign: the lack of debates.
Ratings experts say Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican, is very likely to win re-election November 8th in the northern New York district. Stefanik has yet to debate her Democratic opponent, Matt Castelli, a former CIA officer and National Security Council Counterterrorism Director in the Obama and Trump administrations.
During an interview on WAMC on October 24th Castelli expressed his disappointment.
“We agreed to four that were offered to us by various outlets across this district and Stefanik refused to agree to those. And it’s a real disservice, not to me, but to voters," states Castelli. "Voters deserve the opportunity to hear from their incumbent representative and her challenger about their priorities as well as to be held accountable for their record of either results or failures. And in this regard Congresswoman Stefanik has refused to allow herself to be held accountable.”
One of the debates was to be held on the NBC5. During a rally hosted by Stefanik in Saranac Lake on October 22nd, she was confronted by anchor Brian Colleran about her refusal to participate.
“Why haven’t you taken a debate with Matt Castelli?” asks Colleran.
"I’ve debated more than any other candidate in modern history in this district." Stefanik then deflects, "It is unacceptable that the media has allowed there to be a primary with no Democrat debate.”
“We never go a return of a phone call," notes Colleran. "We never got a return of an email.”
“Your station went ahead and scheduled a debate," insists Stefanik, "on a date when I am in Herkimer County and have been committed to being a keynote speaker.”
The NBC affiliate conducted a 20-minute interview with Castelli in lieu of a debate.
Following the Saranac Lake rally, Stefanik told Mountain Lake PBS she is running on her record of results for the district.
“I have a very strong record of keeping my promises to this district," asserts Stefanik. "Whether it’s delivering over $5 million of VA benefits or whether it’s my advocacy on northern border issues. I have a very strong record when it comes to standing up for the Constitution. What I hear from my constituents is people are struggling under single party Democrat leadership in both Washington and Albany. So we have a lot of work ahead of us. And I’m running not only on my record of results but strong leadership to deal with those issues.”
Castelli, meanwhile, contends voters have lost faith in Stefanik and are looking for a moderate candidate, after Stefanik embraced former President Trump and backed efforts to overturn his election defeat.
“They’re concerned that Congresswoman Stefanik, certainly since the 2020 election, has made a hard pivot towards ultra MAGAism," says Castelli. "And a lot of folks are quiet-quitting Elise Stefanik. This race is a referendum on Congresswoman Stefanik’s failure to deliver real results for our community. She’s only passed two bills into law during eight years in Congress. She has been perpetuating this falsehood, this fraud, that she’s delivering results for our district but they’re actually coming from bills that she voted against. I’m very optimistic.”
Stefanik is seeking her fifth two-year term.