President Donald Trump weighed in on the race for New York’s 21st Congressional District Tuesday, endorsing Amsterdam businessman Anthony Constantino.
On his social media platform Truth Social Tuesday, President Trump called Sticker Mule founder Anthony Constantino “a great guy who will never let you down,” writing that Constantino has his “complete and total endorsement.”
In backing Constantino in the Republican primary against New York State Assemblyman Robert Smullen, Trump is supporting a candidate who has effusively praised and flattered him.
Constantino hung a controversial sign atop his business's Amsterdam factory in support of Trump during the 2024 campaign, he gifted the president a 7-foot bronze sculpture of himself last year, and he also released a music album called “Thank You President Trump.”
Meanwhile, Smullen has called himself the only “Trump-appointed” candidate in the race, referencing his 2018 appointment to the President’s Commission on White House Fellows.
Smullen spoke with reporters following the endorsement.
“We are winning because we have earned the support of voters across NY-21 who want a proven Conservative fighter. We are endorsed by Law Enforcement, by labor, local Republican Committees. Every Republican member of the New York Assembly as well as the New York State Republican and Conservative Parties. That does not change. Nothing about our campaign will change. Anthony Constantino is not the candidate voters in NY-21 support. He has proven he is mentally unfit to serve in Congress,” said Smullen.
Smullen has been endorsed by 12 of the 15 Republican County committees in the 21st District.
In a statement, New York State GOP Committee Chair Ed Cox said, "we endorsed and will continue to work with Robert Smullen as the best candidate to represent the people of NY-21 and the candidate most viable in the general election."
In a statement, Constantino said he looks “forward to winning the general election and making everyone who supported me very proud.”
Skidmore Political Science professor Bob Turner says Trump’s endorsement changes the dynamics of June’s GOP primary.
“It started as an establishment versus outsider candidate where the party chairs were endorsing Smullen and Constantino had more money and the greater name recognition as this outsider. With the endorsement of Donald Trump, I think it becomes very likely for Constantino to win. 91% of the Republican challengers that Trump has endorsed have won their primary races,” said Turner.
Turner adds that it’s difficult enough for candidates to simply get the attention of voters during a primary race.
“Primary voters are different than general election voters, they tend to be more ideological and on the Republican side they tend to be far more loyal supporters of Donald Trump. And so, if they have this one piece of information, that Donald Trump feels that Constantino is his guy, for many of them that’s all they need. They don’t need any more information,” said Turner.
Rep. Elise Stefanik has been the North Country’s congressional representative for more than a decade, and she is not seeking reelection after she also ended a New York gubernatorial bid late last year.
On the Democratic side, Blake Gendebien, a Lisbon dairy farmer, and Stuart Amoriell, a Lake Placid restaurant owner, are facing off in June.
Gendebien received the state Democratic endorsement last year when it appeared a special election would take place after Stefanik was tapped to serve in the United Nations – a nomination that Trump ultimately withdrew.
In addition to the Democrats and Republicans, Brian Rouleau and Christopher Schmidt are running as independents and have until late May to collect petitions.
Turner says November’s election will be interesting, regardless of what happens in the primary.
“You know, on the Democratic side, it looks a lot like 2006 where the Democratic congressional campaign committee would try to choose candidates that fit the district really well. So to try to chose a moderate, long-time dairy farmer, who’s not a Washington insider, that’s that kind of model. So, in some ways it’s kind of going to be an interesting referendum both on the Trump Presidency but also about whether we are going to go to a more district-centered model of congressional elections or continue the nationalization of congressional elections,” said Turner.
