NY-21 Republican Primary Turns Into Intra-Party Battle Over Loyalty to Trump vs. Establishment

The 21st Congressional District’s Republican primary, scheduled for early June, pits Assemblyman Robert Smullen against Anthony Constantino, founder of Sticker Mule. With Rep. Elise Stefanik retiring, the race has become a proxy war between former President Donald Trump—who endorsed Constantino—and the New York state Republican establishment, which backs Smullen. Campaign signs are scarce; local GOP officials say voters fear intimidation before the primary.

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Stefanik’s open seat has long been a GOP stronghold; registered Republicans outnumber Democrats roughly three to one. The district spans rural counties (Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego) and has seen limited intra-party conflict until this cycle. The state party’s endorsement of Smullen and the national Trump endorsement of Constantino highlight a split between loyalty to the former president and traditional party leadership.

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• Robert Smullen – Retired U.S. Marine colonel, state Assembly member since 2019, three combat tours in Afghanistan.

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• Anthony Constantino – CEO of Sticker Mule, former Democrat until 2024, based in Albany before moving to the North Country.

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Both candidates have framed the other as a liar and have launched personal attacks. Smullen’s ads label Constantino a “lifelong Democrat” and allege his campaign employs individuals with criminal convictions. Constantino counters by accusing Smullen of exploiting the death of his 14-year-old son, AJ, in a 2024 accident.

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• Donald Trump – Endorsed Constantino.

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• Jim Jordan (House Judiciary Chair) – Endorsed Constantino, calling him “a fighter” and likening him to Stefanik.

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• Rudy Giuliani – Endorsed Constantino.

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• New York State GOP – Endorsed Smullen early, with seven congressional Republicans joining.

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• Governor Bruce Blakeman – Declined to endorse, citing the need to let the contest play out.

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• Rep. Elise Stefanik – Has not endorsed either candidate; her campaign contributed $26,000 to the Fulton County GOP for legal fees in a separate internal dispute.

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Constantino’s attorney sent a demand letter warning of a defamation suit after Smullen’s repeated claims about the death of Smullen’s son and alleged tax-fraud charges (originally a felony accusation, later reduced to a civil violation). Smullen has filed two prior warnings in March and May. Both camps accuse the other of “organized attempts” to silence voters, with Smullen asserting that Constantino’s supporters “shouted and cursed” at a recent forum.

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Fulton County GOP Treasurer Gail Peters noted that many voters avoid displaying signs, fearing backlash. At a rally in Johnston, Jordan’s appearance drew a crowd of a few dozen, while supporters of both candidates clashed at a Saratoga Springs forum. Peters said she voted for Constantino because “he didn’t sue me,” reflecting personal calculations amid the legal skirmish.

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• Voter registration: Republicans ? 3 × Democrats.

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• Stefanik’s campaign contributed $26,000 to cover county-committee legal fees.

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• Democratic candidate Blake Gendebein (a dairy farmer) appears on the ballot, and Governor Kathy Hochul expressed confidence Democrats could flip the seat given Republican infighting.

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Sources differ on the severity of Smullen’s 2018 tax-exemption case: one describes it as “first-degree felony tax fraud,” another notes it was reduced to a minor civil violation. Details of the alleged defamation demand letter’s specific claims remain undisclosed.

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• “I’ve been close with Elise, and I just feel like Anthony's in that same mold. She's a fighter.” — Jim Jordan, U.S. Representative, House Judiciary Committee Chair

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• “Ronald Reagan was a Democrat before he became a great Republican,” — Jim Jordan

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• “Let that sink in – they use the death of my child as a weapon,” — Robert Smullen, Assembly Member

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• “I already voted for Anthony Constantino because he didn’t sue me,” — Gail Peters, Fulton County Republican Committee Treasurer

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• “Voters in this district deserve honest answers, and I will always give them honest answers,” — Robert Smullen

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The primary’s outcome will determine whether the district remains aligned with Trump-centric leadership or reverts to the state party’s establishment. A Republican win would likely preserve the GOP’s three-to-one registration advantage, while a Democratic upset could signal a broader shift in the North Country’s political landscape. The final vote is expected in early June, with the general election slated for November.

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