In February, cannabis tax attorney and Democrat Paula Collins announced she would challenge incumbent Republican Elise Stefanik in the New York 21st District Congressional race. Collins was in Plattsburgh this week meeting with the Clinton County Democratic Committee.
Collins once held a county committee seat in Manhattan but otherwise has not held an elective office. She said she decided to campaign for Congress because she could not allow the powerful Republican to run unopposed.
“I could not align my core beliefs and my core identity as a Democrat with the idea that Elise Stefanik was running unchallenged,” Collins said. “And so when I heard that there was no other viable candidate who seemed to be able to get enough signatures to get on the petition that was my call to action.”
Collins says there are a series of issues affecting the district that need to be addressed.
“The key issues in this race first of all are truthfulness in our representation. Secondly I would love to see universal broadband. It’s a safety issue. Immigration. The economy and making sure that we continue in this trend to lowering inflation. The Biden Administration inherited an economy that was just stymied and part of that was due to COVID and part of that was just due to the corporate tax breaks that the Trump Administration had given.” Collins continued, “Also top of mind for me are environmental issues. In our North Country we really are feeling from summer to summer the difference. Our climate change issues must be addressed at some level.”
When Collins spoke to Clinton County Democrats at the Plattsburgh Town Hall, she told them democracy is on the line in November.
“I’m going to Congress because I’m tired of a Congress that isn’t functional. I’m tired of a Congress that simply doesn’t get stuff done. They spend more time fighting with each other than really working for the constituents.” Shifting to her opponent, Collins continued, “And it is my firm belief that we have had a representative in NY-21 who is not working on behalf of the constituents but rather is working on behalf of her own career interests.”
Collins showed what campaign materials are available and said it’s crucial to make personal contact with voters. Bill Todd and then Jim Gonyo asked how she would respond to an anticipated and often used challenge by Stefanik’s campaign.
“They’re going to say that you don’t live in this district,” Todd stated.
“But I do,” asserted Collins. “I live here and Elise Stefanik does not and the New York State Board of Elections has determined that I have a place on this ballot.”
“You could use that same argument against her when she ran,” contended Gonyo.
“Well, and they’ve used it against Castelli,” noted Collins. “They used it against Aaron Woolfe.”
“That’s one of their arguments,” reiterated Todd. “They’re going to try to use it again.”
“Well, can we talk about issues?” asked Collins. “Once the person is on the ballot, you just want somebody to do the job for you.”
“What’s more interesting is who is she working for?”, wondered Gonyo. “Who is she taking money from? Takes tons of money from Koch Industries, hedge fund managers. I don’t know anyone that benefits in the 21st district from hedge fund investments.”
“Exactly,” agreed Collins.
Stefanik is seeking her sixth two-year term and has criticized Collins as a far-left New York City Democrat. A top House Republican, she has a significant fundraising edge, and non-partisan ratings agencies do not consider the seat in play for Democrats.
Former Congressman Bill Owens was first elected in 2009 and did not seek reelection in 2014. He is the only Democrat to have represented the district since 1873. Collins is confident that she can also make history.
“Of course a Democrat can possibly win. I believe that there are voters throughout NY-21 that are seeing that this is not really a time to consider party. It’s a time to consider values and for the good of the country voting, maybe even just for this one time, voting for the Democrat,” Collins said. “We’ve never had a major party candidate who is a convicted felon. We’ve never had somebody like Elise Stefanik who is very proud to call herself an ultra-MAGA, not just MAGA, but ultra-MAGA. We’ve never had this dynamic before.”
Election Day is November 5th.
