Labor unions contributed $41,000 to the campaign of Democrat congressional candidate Blake Gendebien in the third quarter.
A total of 10 unions contributed to Gendebien’s campaign, including two unions which had previously contributed to U. S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, in recent previous campaigns.
The International Union of Operating Engineers, which contributed to Stefanik in 2022 and 2024, contributed $2,500 to Gendebien in the third quarter.
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which contributed to Stefanik in 2022, contributed $5,000 to Gendebien’s campaign.
Gendebien, a farmer from Lisbon, in St. Lawrence County, is running against Republican Anthony Constantino, an Amsterdam business owner who lives in Edinburg, in Saratoga County, for the seat that is open because Stefanik, a six-term incumbent, is not seeking reelection.
Independent Christopher Schmidt, a day laborer from Hudson Falls, is running a write-in campaign.
Labor has taken an active role in the campaign, after virtually sitting out the 2024 race in the 21st Congressional District.
In 2024, just one labor union, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, contributed $1,000 to the campaign of Democrat candidate Paula Collins.
This campaign season, IBEW contributed $2,500 to Gendebien’s campaign in the third quarter, bringing the union’s total contributions this election cycle to $6,000.
More than 20 labor unions have endorsed Gendebien, including The Police Conference of New York, which endorsed Stefanik in 2022 and 2024.
Constantino, as of Oct. 15, had received just one labor union endorsement, from The International Association of Police Unions.
Multiple labor unions recently held a rally and door-to-door canvassing event with Gendebien in Fort Edward and a rally a few days later in Plattsburgh.
Constantino, who is self-funding his campaign, personally loaned his campaign another $5 million during the third quarter, bringing his total self-funding in the election cycle to $17 million, according to a new campaign finance report filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission.
Constantino does not accept campaign contributions.
Gendebien raised $1.72 million in the third quarter, bringing his total raised in the election cycle to $7.45 million.
Gendebien’s contributors included Illinois Gov. Jay Pritzker, who personally contributed $5,000.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries contributed $5,000 from his political action committee and $2,000 from his campaign fund.
Democratic Conference Whip Katherine Clark contributed $2,000 from her political action committee.
Democratic Conference Chairman Pete Aguilar contributed $2,000 from his campaign fund.
In the agriculture sector, the Texas Farm Bureau Fund contributed $5,000 to Gendebien’s campaign in the third quarter, and Dairy Farmers of America contributed $5,000.
National Milk Producers contributed $1,000, and Agri-Mark $1,000.
Until recently, Gendebien was an Agri-Mark board member.
Dairy Farmers of America contributed to Stefanik’s campaigns in 2022 and 2024.
Agri-Mark contributed to Stefanik’s 2024 campaign, and National Milk Producers contributed to Stefanik’s 2022 campaign.
Gendebien continued to draw from a strong national donor base, receiving individual contributions from 44 states and the District of Columbia in the third quarter.
He received $381,874 in so-called “small dollar” un-itemized contributions of less than $200 each, viewed as an indication of grass roots support, in the third quarter.
Constantino spent $3.91 million in the third quarter, and had $4.1 million in his campaign fund, as of Sept. 30.
Gendebien spent $3.87 million in the third quarter, and had $469,808 in his campaign fund, as of Sept. 30.
In other 21st Congressional District campaign news:
The Cook Report, a leading national race handicapper, on Friday upgraded its rating of the race from likely Republican to leans Republican.
The National Federation of Independent Business on Saturday endorsed Constantino.