New York Republicans appeared set to hold onto retiring Rep. Elise Stefanik’s deep-red seat Tuesday — with firebrand Trump ally Anthony Constantino declaring a narrow victory against his Democratic opponent Blake Gendebien.
With 80% of votes counted, Constantino led Gendebien by a tight 2-point margin, 51-48.8 in the red-leaning 21st Congressional District where Republicans outnumber Democrats.
“I’m going to spend the next two years winning you over, making you fall in love with me, just like my employees did, just like all these great people did who came out to support me,” Constantino, CEO of printing company Sticker Mule, told attendees at his watch party in Amsterdam, NY.
His projected victory was a rare bright spot on a night when Republicans got trounced at the ballot box across the state, including in the Hudson Valley’s 17th District, where Democratic challenger Cait Conley defeated two-term Republican Rep Mike Lawler.
Some early evening anxiety at Constantino’s party gave way to a raucous 40-minute victory speech from the businessman, who took the stage to the theme song from “Rocky” at around 11 p.m.
Constantino said he wanted to win by 20 points, though noted his team assured him a victory closer to the 2-3 points — while ranting against the “evil news media,” blaming them for the close margin.
Having Constantino succeed Stefanik should have been a layup for Republicans, but party infighting and higher costs tied to tariffs and the Iran war gave Gendebien and Democrats an opening and made the race close, sources said.
The Cook Political Report rated the once solidly Republican seat to “lean” toward Constantino.
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A Siena University poll in early October even showed Gendebien with a slight 46%-42% lead over Constantino and independent candidate Christopher Schmidt getting 5%. Another poll had Constantino in the lead.
“I respect my friends and neighbors too much to concede this race before every vote is counted, but it appears that Anthony Constantino will narrowly win. This isn’t the outcome we worked for, but I could not be more proud of the campaign we ran and the coalition we built,” said Gendebien in a statement early Wednesday.
As Gendebien — a second-generation dairy farmer who was born and raised in the North Country district — gained ground in polls during the lead-up to Election Day, Vice President JD Vance swooped into the district to campaign with Constantino and persuade Republicans and other conservative-minded voters to vote for the GOP candidate.
“It was definitely a panic move,” said state Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs said of Vance’s visit.
But Vance’s visit may have helped.
President Trump, a Constantino booster, won the district by 24 points over Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race and Stefanik won her re-election bids by double-digit margins.
Constantino thanked Trump and Vance, as well infamous conservative political consultant Roger Stone, for their support during the campaign.
He went on to say that all Gendebien voters “made a big mistake,” but that he was willing to forgive them.
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Constantino, 44, owns a global printing company that manufactures stickers and decals in a plant just outside the district in Amsterdam, and he pumped $17 million of his own fortune to self-finance his campaign.
During his victory speech, he pledged $1,000 bonus checks to all Sticker Mule employees, and called on large companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft to do the same, among others.
A fitness buff, he boxed competitively at age 40 and has taken his no-holds-barred fighting skills into the political arena. He even touted an endorsement from boxing legend Mike Tyson.
Gendebien, 49, is the co-owner of Twin Mill Farms, a dairy farm in Ogdensburg, and has served on the local Lisbon school board, coached youth sports teams and launched the Jules of Life Foundation, which supports children with cancer.
He and wife, Carmen, have three sons.
Constantino became the Republican Party nominee after easily defeating Assemblyman Robert Smullen in the GOP primary, but the internal fight left some hard feelings.
The New York Republican and Conservative Party establishments backed Smullen, but Trump endorsed Constantino.
Constantino was fully aligned with the MAGA movement and credited longtime Trump adviser Stone with encouraging him to run for the House seat.
He even put up a massive 100-foot-wide, 12-foot-tall illuminated “Vote for Trump” sign atop his factory building in Amsterdam in October 2024.
Constantino also funded a $250,000 bronze statue of Trump that he gifted to the president
But his outspoken nature made enemies along the way.
State Conservative Party chairman Gerard Kassar sued Constantino for defamation after accusing the party leader of threatening to kill him. A state Supreme Court judge in Brooklyn refused Constantino’s motion to dismiss the case, meaning it will likely go to trial or summary judgment.
The Conservative Party ballot, which typically backs a Republican candidate in House races, was left blank.
Gendebien had campaigned as a “conservative Democrat” and sought to distance himself from Democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul and the growing leftist-wing of his party.
Asked on an Oct. 8 radio program if he backed fellow Democrat Hochul or Republican Bruce Blakeman for governor, Gendebien refused to back Hochul.
“What I support is anyone that will help the North Country be absolutely successful,” Gendebien said.
He also was captured on audio admitting that Hochul was unpopular in the district.
Constantino was the more theatrical candidate, often stirring up controversy and slamming his opponent.
In a mock debate, he had a person in a chicken suit stand in for the absent Gendebien, who refused to participate.
During his speech Tuesday night, Constantino called for Trump to pardon rapper “Diddy,” who is currently incarcerated until early 2028 on charges of crossing state lines for prostitution.
