2 weeks Ago By NATASHA VAUGHN-HOLDRIDGE [email protected]
The current seat holder, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, has not officially resigned from her position as representative, nor has a special election been called. But discussions about Democratic and Republican candidates for a special election for the seat have been underway since President Donald Trump announced he would name Stefanik as U.N.
ambassador. The 15 Democratic chairs in New York’s 21st Congressional District announced the selection of Gendebien, a North Country resident, as the potential special election candidate in a press release Tuesday. He is the owner and president of Twin Mill Farms in Lisbon, New York, and vice chair of the Agri-Mark Dairy Cooperative covering New York and New England.
"I’m honored and deeply grateful to each of the 15 Democratic chairs," Gendebien said in a statement. "They have run a thoughtful process that has brought out the best in each of us at a particularly challenging time. No one was expecting a special election, but they stepped up.
This is just the beginning. I’m not going to stop working until we win and can make life in the North Country a whole lot better and a whole lot more affordable.” Gendebien will bring "an authentic voice that will fight for sensible solutions to the challenges affecting NY-21 and this nation," the chairs said.
Last week, Gendebien announced his campaign had raised more than $500,000 since he announced the launch of it Dec. 11. "As a husband, father, farmer, small business owner and former school board member, Blake will fight to lower costs and secure our borders," the chairs said.
"An outsider to the political arena, Blake Gendebien embodies the voice and grit that distinguishes this district.” Republican chairs have not yet announced a candidate for the potential special election. State GOP Chair Ed Cox issued a statement shortly after the Democrats' announcement, criticizing their selection of Gendebien.
"Republicans are thrilled by the selection of Democrats of radical Far Left Blake Gendebein, who not only supported Joe Biden’s open border policies, but also bailed out illegals from ICE," Cox said. "Gendebien viciously claimed that local correctional officers 'don’t have much self-worth' and disparaged local North Country children as not having 'practical independence and an ability to think.' "Democrats didn’t do their homework when they selected Blake Gendebien and his catastrophic statements," Cox continued.
"Republicans will easily hold this seat in the upcoming special election, because the North Country is unquestionably Trump Country.” Warren County GOP Chairman Tim McNulty noted there has been a lot of conflicting information in the media surrounding a potential special election. "We're still in the throngs of talking to different possible candidates," McNulty told The Post-Star Tuesday.
"Since there is no vacancy, there is a lot of candidates going out and talking with papers, there's articles being written in various newspapers that are not accurate, giving false details. The bottom line is, a resignation hasn't been announced yet, confirmation is not complete." McNulty said there are seven or eight potential Republican candidates who could win the district in a special election.
"We don't want to get in front of the process coming out of Washington in terms of the timing, Congresswoman Stefanik's confirmation and her ultimate resignation," McNulty said. "We are all watching the news eagerly." Gov.
Kathy Hochul can call a special election for New York's 21st Congressional District if and after Stefanik officially resigns from the seat. The timeline of when a special election would happen has recently been brought up for discussion by members of the state's Legislature. Under current state law, Hochul would have to schedule a special election within 90 days of there being a vacancy.
Other issues surrounding the potential special election and its cost have been raised at the local level in recent days. Warren County announced earlier this week it would be sending a letter to President Trump and Stefanik requesting the estimated $60,000 cost of the special election to fill her seat this spring. Warren County Board of Elections officials estimate a special election this spring could include costs of $28,600 to cover inspectors on Election Day and early voting, $3,000 for delivery trucks, $2,600 for absentee ballots, $2,100 for emergency ballots and $1,000 for advertising.
The remaining costs would go toward part-time and overtime costs for poll workers. Without federal government support, the $60,000 cost would need to be covered by the county's general fund unappropriated surplus..
