Overview
- Trump, in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, endorsed Anthony Constantino and highlighted support from Rudy Giuliani and Roger Stone.
- State Assemblyman Robert Smullen, the establishment pick, blasted the decision and said a Constantino adviser misled the president while calling Constantino mentally unfit.
- Smullen holds the Conservative Party line, which guarantees him a spot on the November ballot even if he loses the June primary and could leave two right-leaning candidates on the fall ballot.
- Most local Republican committees in the district and state party chair Ed Cox back Smullen, signaling a clash between party leaders and the MAGA wing.
- Constantino, the Sticker Mule CEO who fought officials in 2024 over a massive factory-top “Vote for Trump” sign, is running for the seat that opened after Elise Stefanik chose not to seek reelection.