Republican political candidates routinely highlight their devotion to President Donald Trump. But in upstate New York's 21st Congressional District, Anthony Constantino is taking that loyalty to an unusual level. The political newcomer and business owner has constructed a giant "Vote for Trump" sign atop his successful sticker company in Amsterdam, recorded a hip-hop album titled "Thank you President Trump," and gifted Trump a bronze statue of the president at his West Palm Beach golf course last year.
Constantino is competing in the June 23 Republican primary to succeed Rep. Elise Stefanik, who announced she would not seek reelection after her brief gubernatorial campaign. His opponent, state Assembly Member Robert Smullen, has emerged as the establishment favorite, backed by local GOP officials and committees. The race has become a test of Trump's continued influence over Republican primaries, with the president formally endorsing Constantino.
What the Right Is Saying
Supporters of Constantino argue his business success and outsider status make him a fresh voice for the district. Trump himself wrote in his endorsement that "Anthony is strongly supported by many of the most Highly Respected MAGA Warriors in our Movement, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Roger Stone!" The president added: "The sign is still there!"
Smullen has cast himself as the more traditional conservative candidate, emphasizing his 24-year military career including three tours of Afghanistan, his seven years in the state Legislature, and his own ties to Trump. During a debate, Smullen pushed back against Constantino's claims to be the true Trump candidate: "The idea that I have never been a supporter of President Donald Trump is a lie, it really is... And what's happening here is that if you say it long enough and if you say it hard enough then it's going to be true. But it's not true."
Local Republican officials have overwhelmingly backed Smullen. Matt Capano, who owns a hardware store in Gloversville, said he knew Smullen as his local state lawmaker: "I had to give him a lot of credit because of his experience." The state Conservative Party has also endorsed Smullen, guaranteeing him a ballot line in the general election regardless of primary outcomes.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats in New York have largely watched the Republican primary battle unfold with quiet interest, noting that whoever emerges will represent a heavily Republican district in November. The 21st District's voter registration favors Republicans by more than 80,000 voters, making the GOP primary effectively determinative of who will hold the seat.
Progressive political observers have pointed to Constantino's unusual candidacy as emblematic of how personal loyalty to Trump has become a primary qualification for some Republican candidates. "It's remarkable that someone can run primarily on their relationship with the president rather than policy positions or legislative experience," said one Democratic strategist familiar with New York politics who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the race candidly.
What the Numbers Show
The 21st Congressional District is solidly Republican territory. Stefanik won her last race by 24 percentage points. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats 215,000 to 134,000 in the district, which spans most of New York's northern tip including the Adirondack Mountains and the U.S. Army's Fort Drum.
The district's population includes significant numbers of prison guards, police officers, dairy farmers, and devoutly religious residents. Jack McGuire, an associate professor of politics at the State University of New York at Potsdam, described the area: "It's not your country club Republican party."
Stefanik shocked New York political observers when she announced she would not seek reelection after her unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, which came after Trump withdrew his support and after she was nominated for UN ambassador only to see that nomination withdrawn amid concerns about House Republican majority margins.
The Bottom Line
The June 23 primary will determine whether Trump's endorsement can carry a first-time candidate with an unconventional campaign style past a more traditional conservative in a deep-red district. Constantino has called the state GOP "a failing establishment, it's a losing establishment" and argued that party officials "reject outsiders," drawing parallels to early resistance to Trump within the Republican Party.
Smullen represents parts of the district in the state Assembly and has built relationships with local voters through traditional retail politics at firehouses and community events. His campaign has launched an anti-Constantino website criticizing his past registration as a Democrat, prompting Constantino to respond that he registered that way only to vote for a childhood friend while calling himself a "lifelong conservative."
Regardless of Tuesday's outcome, the race illustrates how Trump's endorsement remains a powerful force in Republican primaries, though success at the ballot box may depend on whether voters prioritize personal loyalty to the president over traditional conservative credentials and legislative experience.