Story perspectives

Trump-Backed Constantino Wins NY-21 Primary, Sparks Three-Way Race

6/26/2026

Center

Constantino Wins Primary

If Assemblymember Robert Smullen stays on Conservative Party line after his primary loss, NY-21 could turn into a three-way race.
Anthony Constantino won the New York 21st Congressional District Republican primary on June 23, 2026 with 58.59% of the vote.
The campaign was self-funded with $10 million and received an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Blake Gendebien won primary 62.40% while a poll shows election tied 45%-44% with 11% undecided.

Left

Constantino Wins Primary

Constantino’s campaign faced criticism for hiring staff with criminal histories, including a murder-charge suspect, and intensified criticism.
The campaign was largely self-funded using wealth from Constantino’s Sticker Mule printing business, drawing criticism.
Anthony Constantino won the Republican primary in New York’s 21st Congressional District and thanked President Donald Trump in victory speech.
Republican leaders backed Assemblyman Robert Smullen on the Conservative Party line, risking a split vote.

History

Historical Context

Donald Trump’s 2016 Republican nomination, secured after a May 3 primary victory and fueled by over $500 million in campaign fundraising, reshaped GOP reliance on wealthy, outsider candidates. A decade later, New York businessman Anthony Constantino invested personal funds in his 2026 NY-21 race, earned Trump’s endorsement, and split the Conservative Party line with Robert Smullen, echoing the earlier pattern of money-driven intra-party fractures.

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Constantino Wins Primary

If Assemblymember Robert Smullen stays on Conservative Party line after his primary loss, NY-21 could turn into a three-way race.
Anthony Constantino won the New York 21st Congressional District Republican primary on June 23, 2026 with 58.59% of the vote.
The campaign was self-funded with $10 million and received an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Blake Gendebien won primary 62.40% while a poll shows election tied 45%-44% with 11% undecided.

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