Blake Gendebien and Stuart Amoriell were the Democrats running in New York’s 21st District Congressional race.
Gendebien handily won the primary 62 to 33 percent, according to unofficial results posted by the state Board of Elections.
Gendebien, a Lisbon farmer, was the party favorite for a special election in 2025 that never happened after President Donald Trump nominated – and then rescinded the nomination – of current Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as ambassador to the United Nations. Gendebien was endorsed by the 15 Democratic County Chairs in the 21st District.
Stuart Amoriell, a Lake Placid restaurant owner, entered the race in December 2025. Characterizing himself as a progressive Democrat, his top issues pertain to quality of life, including affordable health care, utilities and housing.
Gendebien thanked his supporters in Glens Falls Tuesday evening.
“We did it! We did it everybody, thank you so much. What a wonderful night. What a wonderful night. Thank you for all of your help. Tonight upstate New York and the North Country sent a message and Washington better be listening. Eighteen months ago we launched this campaign with the simple belief that the people of northern New York deserve someone who knows them, understands them and will fight for them. And tonight the voters spoke loud and clear. But this campaign has never been about a party and it has never been against me. This campaign is for everyone who believes that upstate deserves better.”
The winner of the primary will compete against the Republican primary winner Anthony Constantino, a President Donald Trump-backed businessman from Amsterdam.
Assemblyman Robert Smullen, who lost Tuesday’s Republican primary, will appear on the Conservative Party line.
Clinton County Democratic Chair Brandi Lloyd said both Democrats ran a good campaign and is optimistic about the general election campaign.
“They ran a good race. I’m proud of both Democrats, how they handed themselves in the debate and throughout the campaign. Stuart is ready to support Blake and I think we’re just going to take that positive movement right through.”
Lloyd expects the GOP candidate Anthony Constantino to run a negative campaign against Gendebien.
“I think we’ll see him try the same against Blake. It’s not going to land as well though because Blake is the mature professional person in the room. He doesn’t need the noise to get through. So Blake’s going to plow right through in a positive way represent the North Country.”
Gendebien also expects his GOP opponent to run a negative campaign.
“I expect him to throw a lot of mud and a lot of manure, but as a dairy farmer I know exactly how to deal with that! The contrast is clear. I’m going to be focused on saving our rural health care, lowering costs for families. And I’m going to do the exact opposite. I’m going to work with anyone, Republican or Democrat, to get the job done because in the North Country and upstate New York that’s really what we’re all about.”
The district tends to be Republican stronghold with only one Democrat winning the Congressional seat in over 200 years – that was former Congressman Bill Owens.
