Blab Politics
Clinton County GOP Endorses Assemblyman Smullen in Race to Replace Rep. Stefanik
On a bright spring morning in Altona, the Clinton County Republican Party gathered at the Rainbow Banquet Hall to back a candidate who could carry the district into Congress. The gathering, attended by local GOP officials and supporters, reaffirmed the county’s endorsement of Assemblyman Robert Smullen, who is running for New York’s 21st Congressional District.
Smullen’s bid comes amid a heated primary against businessman Anthony Constantino, who has secured an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. The meeting underscored the county’s preference for a candidate with a military background and state‑legislative experience.
Morrisonville resident Ed Kirby stood out, saying he was “100 %” behind Smullen. “I’ve worked with him before, and he’s just a great guy, all‑around solid, and I think he stands for the values that we look for,” he added. Brandon Wallburg of Plattsburgh echoed that sentiment: “I am here to support Robert Smullen. He’s an individual that I respect. Our committee has endorsed Robert Smullen, and we stand by that.” First Vice Chair Jeff Luck, who introduced Smullen to the crowd, remarked, “Assemblyman Robert Smullen understands leadership at the highest level. And I think everybody here knows that our President Trump clearly got it wrong.”
Smullen’s roots run deep in the North Country. Born and raised in Meco, just outside Gloversville, his family worked as brick masons and owned a hunting camp in the Adirondacks. After graduating from Gloversville High School in 1986, he attended the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, and earned a Naval ROTC commission that led to a 24‑year career in the Marine Corps. He served four deployments—including three combat tours in Afghanistan—and visited 78 countries during his service. In 2015, he left the Marines, bought a farm, and entered politics.
Elected to the New York State Assembly in 2019 to represent the 118th District, Smullen has been reelected three times without opposition. He holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University and is a distinguished graduate of the National Defense University Eisenhower School. In the first Trump administration, he served on the Commission on White House Fellowships.
In his campaign messaging, Smullen emphasizes his front‑line experience and readiness to serve at the federal level. He said, “I’m from here. I’ve led Marines in combat. I have worked at the Pentagon. I was a White House Fellow. All of those experiences, all of the issues of the day, I’ve been on the front lines of those, and I’ve worked very effectively in the state legislature representing the people already. So I know what to do, and I can be effective from day one.”
When asked whether he would oppose any of the president’s policies, Smullen replied, “Well, I’ll certainly be in favor of the policies that the people of this district want and need.” He outlined his priorities: “The first priorities are to make sure that the Trump agenda that's being implemented right now in many areas of New York state, that that would continue. A lot of that has to do with energy. At the federal level, we can bring energy policies into New York that will then help us become more competitive. We have big issues with our businesses of being competitive because of things like energy costs, insurance costs, the cost of doing business in New York state. So, we need to fix those, and I can actually work on those at the federal level.”
The primary for the 21st District will be held on Tuesday, June 23, with early voting running from June 13 to June 21. Smullen, backed by the state Republican Party and 12 of the 15 county GOP committees in the district, faces Constantino, who carries President Trump’s endorsement. The winner will replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, who announced she would not seek reelection.
As the campaign season progresses, both candidates are intensifying outreach to voters across the district. The Clinton County GOP’s endorsement of Smullen underscores the county’s preference for a candidate with a military background and state‑legislative experience, while the Trump endorsement of Constantino reflects a faction of the party that favors a business‑oriented outsider.
The next steps for the campaign include finalizing voter outreach plans, securing additional endorsements, and preparing for the primary ballot. Voters in the 21st District will have the opportunity to cast early ballots starting June 13, with the official primary election on June 23.
The race remains a key contest for the Republican Party in New York, as the winner will shape the district’s representation in Congress for the next two years.
Smullen’s bid comes amid a heated primary against businessman Anthony Constantino, who has secured an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. The meeting underscored the county’s preference for a candidate with a military background and state‑legislative experience.
Morrisonville resident Ed Kirby stood out, saying he was “100 %” behind Smullen. “I’ve worked with him before, and he’s just a great guy, all‑around solid, and I think he stands for the values that we look for,” he added. Brandon Wallburg of Plattsburgh echoed that sentiment: “I am here to support Robert Smullen. He’s an individual that I respect. Our committee has endorsed Robert Smullen, and we stand by that.” First Vice Chair Jeff Luck, who introduced Smullen to the crowd, remarked, “Assemblyman Robert Smullen understands leadership at the highest level. And I think everybody here knows that our President Trump clearly got it wrong.”
Smullen’s roots run deep in the North Country. Born and raised in Meco, just outside Gloversville, his family worked as brick masons and owned a hunting camp in the Adirondacks. After graduating from Gloversville High School in 1986, he attended the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, and earned a Naval ROTC commission that led to a 24‑year career in the Marine Corps. He served four deployments—including three combat tours in Afghanistan—and visited 78 countries during his service. In 2015, he left the Marines, bought a farm, and entered politics.
Elected to the New York State Assembly in 2019 to represent the 118th District, Smullen has been reelected three times without opposition. He holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University and is a distinguished graduate of the National Defense University Eisenhower School. In the first Trump administration, he served on the Commission on White House Fellowships.
In his campaign messaging, Smullen emphasizes his front‑line experience and readiness to serve at the federal level. He said, “I’m from here. I’ve led Marines in combat. I have worked at the Pentagon. I was a White House Fellow. All of those experiences, all of the issues of the day, I’ve been on the front lines of those, and I’ve worked very effectively in the state legislature representing the people already. So I know what to do, and I can be effective from day one.”
When asked whether he would oppose any of the president’s policies, Smullen replied, “Well, I’ll certainly be in favor of the policies that the people of this district want and need.” He outlined his priorities: “The first priorities are to make sure that the Trump agenda that's being implemented right now in many areas of New York state, that that would continue. A lot of that has to do with energy. At the federal level, we can bring energy policies into New York that will then help us become more competitive. We have big issues with our businesses of being competitive because of things like energy costs, insurance costs, the cost of doing business in New York state. So, we need to fix those, and I can actually work on those at the federal level.”
The primary for the 21st District will be held on Tuesday, June 23, with early voting running from June 13 to June 21. Smullen, backed by the state Republican Party and 12 of the 15 county GOP committees in the district, faces Constantino, who carries President Trump’s endorsement. The winner will replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, who announced she would not seek reelection.
As the campaign season progresses, both candidates are intensifying outreach to voters across the district. The Clinton County GOP’s endorsement of Smullen underscores the county’s preference for a candidate with a military background and state‑legislative experience, while the Trump endorsement of Constantino reflects a faction of the party that favors a business‑oriented outsider.
The next steps for the campaign include finalizing voter outreach plans, securing additional endorsements, and preparing for the primary ballot. Voters in the 21st District will have the opportunity to cast early ballots starting June 13, with the official primary election on June 23.
The race remains a key contest for the Republican Party in New York, as the winner will shape the district’s representation in Congress for the next two years.
