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On the eve of a June 23 Republican primary in upstate New York, an unconventional challenger backed by former President Donald Trump has turned a routine local contest into a test of Trump’s continuing influence within the GOP. The race pairs a flamboyant entrepreneur who publicly celebrates his loyalty to Trump against a seasoned state lawmaker and retired Marine colonel who counts traditional party leaders among his supporters.
A campaign built on spectacle
Anthony Constantino, a political newcomer from Amsterdam, has leaned hard into personal loyalty to Trump as the centerpiece of his bid for the open 21st Congressional District seat. His business headquarters displays a large pro-Trump sign, he released a hip-hop album praising the former president, and he once presented Trump with a bronze statue at Mar-a-Lago — moves that have kept him in the headlines.
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Trump has publicly endorsed Constantino, praising his backers and drawing attention to the visible pro-Trump signage at the candidate’s workplace. That endorsement gives Constantino a potent asset in a primary where allegiance to Trump remains a decisive issue for many voters.
Local Republican officials, however, have mostly coalesced around his rival, state Assembly member Robert Smullen. Party leaders describe Smullen as a steady conservative with deep ties in the community and a long record of public service — arguments he emphasizes on the campaign trail.
A contrast in styles and resumes
Smullen casts himself as the pragmatic choice: a 24-year military veteran with combat deployments and more than seven years in the state Legislature. He also points to prior association with the Trump administration through an appointment to a White House Fellows program as evidence of his conservative bona fides.
Constantino has sought to portray Smullen as insufficiently supportive of Trump, using derisive nicknames and repeated attacks to frame himself as the authentic MAGA-aligned contender. Smullen rejects that portrayal, telling voters he has long supported the former president and that repeated accusations do not change his record.
The contest has produced unorthodox tactics on both sides. Smullen’s campaign recently produced material criticizing Constantino’s past voter registration and business persona; Constantino responds with performative stunts and appeals to Trump-aligned activists.
Why this race matters
The 21st District is a reliably Republican slice of northern New York, stretching across the Adirondacks and including Fort Drum, dairy country and a patchwork of small towns and cities. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by roughly 215,000 to 134,000 in the district, which helped former Rep. Elise Stefanik win comfortably in recent cycles.
Stefanik’s decision late last year to pursue statewide office rather than seek reelection — after briefly being considered for a diplomatic role and receiving limited support from Trump in her gubernatorial effort — opened the seat and triggered a crowded local scramble. Her departure has made the primary not only a local fight but also an early indicator of how much sway Trump endorsements still carry in rural, conservative communities.
- Key date: Republican primary on June 23 — winner advances toward a safely Republican general election.
- Endorsements: Constantino has a high-profile nod from Trump; Smullen is backed by most local GOP committees and the state Conservative Party.
- District profile: Older, largely white electorate with many veterans, law enforcement officers and rural voters.
- Possible consequences: A Constantino victory would signal continued grassroots power for Trump-aligned outsiders; a Smullen win would reinforce establishment influence in upstate GOP politics.
For voters and observers alike, the primary will be a measuring stick for two competing forces inside the Republican Party: insurgent, personality-driven campaigns that rely on national celebrity endorsements, and traditional conservative campaigns that emphasize local experience and institutional relationships.
Local reactions and the road ahead
Small-business owners and everyday voters express mixed reactions. Some see Smullen’s military and legislative background as reassuring in a district that values stability and service. Others are drawn to Constantino’s showmanship and his outspoken alignment with Trump, viewing it as a promise of political disruption.
Whichever candidate prevails, the outcome will shape not only who represents the district in Congress but also how Republican primaries in similar conservative regions evolve — whether toward spectacle and nationalized loyalty or toward steady, locally rooted conservatism.
As voters prepare to cast ballots, the race highlights a broader question for the GOP: how much weight should national personality-driven endorsements carry when set against a candidate’s local record and traditional party infrastructure.
