4 days ago
Gendebien campaign fund tops $3.5M
Democratic congressional candidate Blake Gendebien continued to demonstrate a solid grass-roots donor base from around the country in the second quarter.
But contributions from Democratic-leaning political action committees dried up after the expected 21st Congressional District special election this spring was called off.
Gendebien has yet to receive financial backing from the Democratic party establishment, generally regarded as in indication of a competitive race, and he has had limited contributions from labor unions.
Still, it is early in the race, and with $1.96 million in his campaign fund, as of June 30, Genedebien is well-positioned to be able to run a high-profile campaign.
The farmer from Lisbon in Saint Lawrence County raised $212,605 in the second quarter, bringing his total amount raised so far in the election cycle to $3.56 million, according to a new campaign finance reported filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.
Gendebien began fundraising in late 2024 in expectation of running in a special election for a vacancy in the 21st Congressional District, which never materialized.
In late March, President Donald Trump withdrew the nomination of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, to become ambassador to the United Nations, saying he could not risk losing the seat to a Democrat, given the thin Republican majority in the House.
Stefanik raised $2.07 million in the second quarter, bringing her total contributions this campaign cycle to $3.2 million, according to a new campaign finance report filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.
She had $10 million in her campaign fund as of June 30.
However, Stefanik, a six-term incumbent, is expected to run for governor. If she does not, the Republican congressional nominee would be starting fundraising from scratch, and could face an expensive primary.
Potential Republican candidates are waiting for Stefanik to formally announce her candidacy to launch their campaigns.
Assemblyman Robert Smullen, R-Johnstown, has said he will run for Congress if Stefanik runs for governor, and Amsterdam businessman Anthony Constantino has said he is considering running.
Other possible candidates, including state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, and Liz Lemery Joy, a conservative speaker and writer from Glenville, have said it is premature to discuss a hypothetical race.
Republicans have said they are confident of the party's heavy voter enrollment advantage in the congressional district.
Most national House race rating publications do not consider the race as competitive, but one publication, Inside Elections, has identified NY-21 as one of 64 House 'seats in play' in 2026, although it rates the race as 'likely Republican.'
Gendebien received one labor union contribution in the second quarter — $1,000 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers — and no other political action committee contributions.
Stefanik received $95,500 in political action committee contributions in the second quarter, including $5,000 from the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, a bipartisan pro-Israel PAC.
She received $12,000 from the finance, banking and loan industry: $5,000 each from Price Waterhouse Coopers and UBS America, and $1,000 each from the American Financial Services Association and Nelnet, a student loan payment processing company.
She received $4,000 from defense contractors: $1,000 each from R.T.X. Corp., L3 Technologies, Textron and The Boeing Co.
Within the region, she received $2,500 from Sylvamo Corp., which owns a paper mill at Ticonderoga, and $2,500 from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
Other PAC contributions included $5,000 from the Community Action Program, which advocates for human services assistance programs, $2,500 from General Motors Corp., $2,500 from Google, $1,500 from the American Petroleum Institute, $5,000 from The Home Depot and 2,000 from Walmart.
Gendebien spent $273,871 on his campaign in the second quarter, including $24,383 for texting, $3,144 for printing, $18,600 for polling and $28,250 for video production.
The Gendebien campaign recently released on social media a satirical video produced using artificial intelligence, which lampooned Stefanik for being reluctant to formally announce her run for governor.
AI was used to create a character which closely resembles Stefanik, including wearing outfits similar to what Stefanik has worn in public or in past campaign advertising.
Stefanik, in a news release, called the video a 'blatantly sexist, deep-fake attack ad that is deeply offensive to North Country voters.'
Gendebien countered that it was a light-hearted attempt to call attention to Stefanik not being willing to admit she plans to run for governor.
Stefanik spent $579,882 on her campaign in the second quarter, including $97,967 for fundraising telemarketing, $152,839 on direct mail printing and postage, $4,603 on texting and $800 on video production.
