PLATTSBURGH — The NY-21 primary is winding down and Republican candidates are making their final pitches to North Country voters.
In a visit to Plattsburgh Thursday, Congressional candidate Anthony Constantino met with business leaders at the North Country Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Business Expo at SUNY Plattsburgh’s Memorial Hall to learn as much as he can about “the needs of businesses in this community.”
“I think economic well-being is one of the most important things you can do for a person. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life, creating jobs,” he said about attending the expo.
“I like to give people money, and then they get to decide how they enjoy their money. I think that’s my perspective on life, and I think that’s the right perspective.
“I want to talk to employers here, learn how to help them, learn how to create more jobs, how we can put more money into people’s pockets, and they can enjoy life in the way that they see fit.”
The primary election is Tuesday, June 23. Early voting begins June 13.
Constantino, the CEO of Sticker Mule in Amsterdam, will be facing off against Assemblymember Robert Smullen, who represents the 118th District.
On the Democratic side, Blake Gendebien, a farmer from Lisbon in St. Lawrence County, and Stuart Amoriell, a restaurant owner from Lake Placid, are running against each other in the primary.
Constantino, endorsed by President Donald Trump, said new polling data Thursday showed he was “up by a lot” over Smullen.
“But I don’t take anything for granted. I want everyone to go vote … Don’t assume just because I have the endorsement of the president that it’s on to the General,” he said.
In an interview by phone Thursday, Smullen said his campaign was also going very well.
“In fact, we just got a very big endorsement today: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has endorsed me for Congress in NY-21,” he said.
“I have a very positive message for what needs to be done in NY-21, and that’s to send a Marine to Washington to take care of the people of the North Country.”
Asked what he could do to help the North Country, Constantino said keeping the border secure is very important, especially in Clinton County.
“I know the border better than anyone. I understand the southern border very well and understand the northern border, too. We want to keep the border sealed. President Trump sealed it,” Constantino said.
“When people come here illegally, it’s very bad for the country in terms of crime … but it’s also bad in terms of increasing costs. We get burdened with the costs of people that come here illegally.
“They raise the cost of policing, they raise healthcare costs, they use up our resources … I want to keep the border secure, support our ICE agents and keeping the border secure is a big one up here.”
During his Plattsburgh visit, Constantino also met with North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas and discussed manufacturing in the area. Constantino said he hopes to use his own expertise to further accelerate bringing more manufacturing jobs to the North Country.
He said right now, one way he can do that is by being a cheerleader on this topic.
“I’m an expert in doing it. I’ve created over 1,000 jobs, I’m an expert in bringing back American manufacturing and doing it in New York state, which people said couldn’t be done,” he said, referring to his Sticker Mule business.
“I saw President Trump as a cheerleader. He inspired me to create more jobs, and simply just being out there talking can inspire people to follow in my footsteps.
“And I can also teach people how I did it. I actually want to hold an event in the next few weeks, explaining to people exactly how I created so many American manufacturing jobs in Upstate New York.
Smullen also emphasized the importance of keeping the border secure and said he can work with local law enforcement to help them do just that.
“In Albany, in the legislative session, the Democrats just passed a sanctuary state policy that limits local law enforcement cooperation with federal law enforcement,” Smullen said.
“Since I’ve been to the border and since I’ve visited and since I’ve talked with law enforcement in the Plattsburgh area, I have a very good sense of what’s going on. and I’ll work to be able to make sure that all that our law enforcement has everything that they need to be able to do their jobs in the North Country.”