Who's running in New York's 21st congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Independence from special interests, which his campaign slogan is built around.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Chief executive of Sticker Mule.
Defeated state Assemblymember Robert Smullen in the June 23, 2026 Republican primary.
Endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
He built and runs Sticker Mule, a custom-printing and e-commerce company employing people in Amsterdam, Montgomery County — a private-sector record rather than a political one, and he carries Donald Trump's endorsement.
— Anthony Constantino's campaign, reported by the Daily Gazette
He has led the race in most district polling, at 50% to 40% among likely voters in one survey, in a seat Republicans have held for over a decade.
— J.L. Partners poll reported by WNYT
Arguments against
He filmed a 2024 video at his own factory with disabled comedian Ricky Berwick promoting stickers that purported to give the bearer permission to say "retarded". The New York Association on Independent Living and independent living centres across the state have asked him to apologise and take it down; the association says he called personally but did not apologise and instead accused them of attacking him politically. His Republican primary opponent, Assemblyman Robert Smullen, said it showed poor character. Berwick and Constantino describe each other as friends.
— New York Association on Independent Living and Assemblyman Robert Smullen, reported by NNY360 and WWNY
He posted an AI-manipulated deepfake video of his opponent that showed the dairy farmer saying he supports "human trafficking and pedophilia" — words Gendebien never said.
— Daily Gazette
What we couldn’t verify
He has held no elected office, so there is no voting record to set against his campaign's positions.
Polling in this race disagrees: one survey put him ten points ahead and another put Gendebien four points ahead.
Whether the deepfake video was taken down, and any response from his campaign, were not established from the sources found.
Lowering food prices and supporting small farmers and businesses.
Reversing the loss of local dairy farms — he says the region has lost more than 700 in six years — and stopping families leaving for better-paying work elsewhere.
Acting as a bridge between the North Country and Washington, keeping bureaucracy in check.
Support for farmers, families, veterans and small businesses over congressional gridlock.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Second-generation dairy farmer and small business owner in the North Country.
Former vice chair of the Agri-Mark cooperative board; school board member; JV basketball coach.
Founder of a non-profit supporting paediatric cancer patients and their families.
Won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary.
Has not held federal office.
Arguments in favor
He is a dairy farmer and small-business owner running the seat's own economy — Twin Mill Farms in Lisbon — and rejects his party's left outright, calling democratic socialism "absolutely nuts".
— Blake Gendebien, quoted by WIBX
National Democrats put the race on the Districts in Play list and are spending here, treating a seat Elise Stefanik held for over a decade as genuinely winnable.
— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, reported by the Daily Gazette
Arguments against
His agenda is "toxic" and would "raise taxes, leave our border wide open, and hurt North Country farmers."
— National Republican Congressional Committee
He does not think much of the people he wants to represent: in a 2013 interview he said local correction officers "don't have much self-worth" and described North Country workers as lacking "practical independence and ability to think", in contrast to his foreign farm labourers.
— Anthony Constantino's campaign, citing the resurfaced interview reported by Fox News
What we couldn’t verify
He has held no elected office, so there is no voting record to set against his campaign's positions.
His response to the resurfaced 2013 interview was not established from the sources found.
His fundraising totals were not reported in material available.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
This seat is open: Republican Elise Stefanik is not seeking re-election. Anthony Constantino, chief executive of Sticker Mule, beat state Assemblymember Robert Smullen for the Republican nomination on June 23, 2026 with President Trump's endorsement; dairy farmer Blake Gendebien won the Democratic nomination. A third candidate, independent Christopher Schmidt, failed to gather the 3,500 petition signatures independents need — against 1,250 for major-party candidates — and is running as a write-in after a court dismissed his ballot access lawsuit; write-ins are not printed choices and he is not profiled here. National Democrats are targeting the race, and an August SurveyUSA poll put Gendebien at 43% and Constantino at 39%. The 2026 elections use the congressional map enacted on February 28, 2024. Roster confirmed against Spectrum News, WCAX and Politics1. Neither candidate is listed with arguments for or against here: no published criticism of either candidate by name from someone opposing them could be found, and setting out a case against one and not the other would tilt the page.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A New York ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at New York State Board of Elections.