Republican Anthony Constantino declared victory in New York’s 21st Congressional District on Tuesday night, holding a 6,000-vote lead over Democrat Gendebien with 95% of ballots counted, though thousands of uncounted ballots kept the race uncalled as of early Wednesday morning in the North Country.
While Constantino moves to claim the seat vacated by Elise Stefanik, the 5% of unreported votes leave the heavily Republican-leaning district’s congressional representation uncalled, with six counties having turned blue.
Vote Margins and Turnout Define the District’s Current Limbo
- Constantino leads Gendebien by approximately 6,000 votes with 95% of the vote reported, WCAX reported.
- District turnout stands at 55%, down 5 percentage points from the 2022 election cycle.
- Six counties, including Franklin, Essex, and Clinton, voted for the Democratic candidate, marking the closest margin the district has seen in years.
Sticker Mule’s Owner Claims Victory While Ballots Remain Uncounted
Constantino, who owns the sticker business Sticker Mule, claimed victory Tuesday night despite the uncalled status of the race. He thanked supporters including employees of his company, telling the crowd at his victory party, “I want to say thank you to everyone at Sticker Mule that stayed by me through this adventure. I know it has been very difficult for the company, but I think we did the right thing for the country, for America, for the world, and we should be proud of what we did.”
The claim comes as WCAX reported that thousands of ballots remained to be tallied across the North Country on Wednesday. Gendebien, the Democratic challenger, had not conceded as of Wednesday night, noting in a statement that his campaign was “closer than any other Democrat has been in a decade” and had helped “inspire record turnout with neighbors who sat out election after election and decided this one was worth winning.”
Six Counties Shift Blue in a Heavily Republican District
Data shows six counties in the 21st District turned blue, including Franklin, Essex, and Clinton counties. The district, which leans heavily Republican, saw 55% turnout—5% lower than 2022—suggesting a measurable decline in voter participation compared to the previous midterm cycle.
DECISION DESK HQ CALLS NY-21 FOR CONSTANTINO, GENDEBIEN HAS NO PATH TO VICTORY EDINBURG, NY – 4 November 2026 – Decision Desk HQ has called the race for New York’s 21st Congressional District for Anthony Constantino, confirming that Blake Gendebien has no path to victory. “I’m… pic.twitter.com/Qys8xVJz0P”
| Metric | 2026 Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Vote margin (Constantino lead) | ~6,000 votes | Closest margin in years for the district |
| Ballots reported | 95% | Thousands remain uncounted as of Wednesday |
| Voter turnout | 55% | 5 percentage points lower than 2022 |
| Counties voting Democratic | 6 | Includes Franklin, Essex, and Clinton |
Political Science Professor Weighs in on the “Catbird Seat”
Harvey Schantz, a political science professor at SUNY Plattsburgh, offered analysis on the remaining vote potential. “Of course, if there are more remaining votes to be counted, then the difference between the candidates is that it’s always possible there will be a reversal of fortune. But as of now, it seems that Anthony Constantino is in the catbird seat,” Schantz said.
Media Confrontation Marks Victory Night for Constantino
The victory claim was accompanied by a late-night confrontation with press. In a speech described as containing profanities, Constantino targeted what he called the “evil news media” and directed security to eject a reporter from WCAX sister station WWNY. WWNY reporter Garrett Domblewski described being singled out after Constantino had previously shaken his hand, recounting that Constantino said, “Get him out. Get him out right now. Kick him out. Kick him out. Kick him out.” The news crew was removed from the event 15 to 20 minutes after the confrontation began.
As of the early hours of November 5, 2026, the race remained officially uncalled, with the outcome dependent on the remaining uncounted ballots across the district’s counties.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
