With New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik tapped to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s UN Ambassador, potential candidates to replace her are emerging, including a Montgomery County businessman weighing a campaign.
Stefanik’s 21st District encompasses 15 counties across northern New York. She easily won re-election and local officials are beginning to brainstorm about candidates to fill the seat once she’s confirmed.
Saratoga County Republican Committee Chair Joe Suhrada says it’s too early to begin listing names.
“Yes, we don’t the timeline in which she will depart. We do know that public officer’s law has the governor calling an election, this is not a post that can be filled by appointment. So, we expect within 80 to 90 days from that point in which she resigns to have an election. But, right now, we don’t have candidates that have come forward, I think everyone is keeping their powder dry,” said Suhrada.
The list of potential candidates to run for the seat is growing. Reports have named Republican State Senator Dan Stec of the 45th District, Congressman Mark Molinaro, who has not yet conceded a tight race for re-election in the 19th District, and Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin. State Assemblyman Chris Tague of the 102nd district said he would consider a bid, while Democrat Paula Collins, who just lost to Stefanik, wants to be considered by Democratic Party leaders.
Republican Fulton County Election Commissioner William Eschler says he hasn’t heard from anyone in his district who wants to run for the seat. He does, however, have an idea of what an ideal candidate might look like.
“Somebody who has been in the area as far as experience, certainly. A senator perhaps in one of the districts or assemblymen, something of that nature probably would have a bit of an easier task as far as not only knowing more of the area, knowing more of the people but as far as they’d already have a campaign structure,” said Eschler.
Suhrada says it’s still early, without a list of confirmed potential candidates. But he expects county party leaders to have solid choices.
“I do believe that there will be a lot of vetting at the higher levels because, I suspect, the president will want someone who will fulfill his agenda while in office. I bet he’s not looking for another Cheney or Kinzinger. So, this is all going to be important to the congressional campaign committee, Elise, and President Trump,” saud Suhrada.
Anthony Constantino, CEO of the Amsterdam-based company Sticker Mule, made local headlines as an outspoken Trump supporter this year including installing a 100-foot wide “Vote for Trump” sign on a city warehouse.
He says he’s considering a run for the seat and was inspired by Trump’s journey into politics.
“If I can get involved and help inspire the country in a great way I’m strongly considering doing that. I’m going to get dinner at Mar-a-Lago tonight with some interesting people and they’re going to give me their thoughts on the situation. But really, I want to just be helpful and do interesting and impactful things. That’s been my way of operating, that’s how I built my company, I always try to just do whatever is the biggest and most interesting and impactful thing I can do to help people and make the world a better and more interesting place,” said Constantino.
If he does decide to commit to a campaign for the post, Constantino says he’d have his priorities straight.
“I said this problem with anti-Trump hate was a huge problem and I went full-speed ahead trying to fix that and I think I did a pretty good job of addressing it and reducing it dramatically in the United States. I think the biggest problem in New York right now is people have been leaving. And we need to get people coming back. So, I don’t think anyone would be better than me at getting people to come back to New York State. The other politicians haven’t even really identified that as New York State’s number one problem,” said Constantino.
Republican State Senator Jim Tedisco and Democratic Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara have introduced a bill that would establish a state commission to examine New York’s declining population.
