District interests should come before party loyalty

Democrat Blake Gendebien in the race for New York’s 21st Congressional District, saying Northern New York needs representation focused on the region’s people, economy and institutions. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.

Federal Election Commission filings through Oct. 14 show Gendebien’s authorized campaign committee, Blake for the North Country, had received $7,655,529.27 and spent $7,543,858.96. The committee reported $364,011.80 in cash on hand and $66,588.61 in debts owed.

Gendebien, a dairy farmer from Lisbon in St. Lawrence County, won the Democratic primary on June 23 against Stuart Amoriell, taking about two-thirds of the vote in unofficial results. Republican Anthony Constantino, the CEO of Sticker Mule in Amsterdam, won a contested Republican primary against Assemblyman Robert Smullen.

The seat became open after Elise Stefanik’s nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was withdrawn and she later announced plans to retire from Congress. Donald Trump carried the district by 21 percentage points in 2024, and Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 80,000 registered voters, according to North Country Public Radio.

A Siena poll of nearly 500 likely voters, conducted Sept. 30 through Oct. 6, put Gendebien at 46% and Constantino at 42%, with a margin of error of 4.6 percentage points. The Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the district from Solid Republican to Likely Republican and later to Lean Republican.

Gendebien attended an Oct. 5 veterans’ event at Saranac Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3357 after the post invited both candidates. The candidates also disputed why a debate did not occur. Gendebien said Constantino’s conditions could not be met, while Constantino called that explanation “ridiculous lies.”

Voters in the 21st District will choose a representative on Nov. 3, 2026. Campaign finance information for Gendebien is available through the Federal Election Commission.