Political newcomer with viral Trump sign looks to win Stefanik’s seat
Anthony Constantino, a New York businessman and vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, is running to fill the House seat being vacated by Rep. Elise Stefanik as she prepares to join the Trump management. With Stefanik expected to become the U.S. ambassador to the United nations,Constantino faces state Sen. Dan Stec in a race for the Republican nomination in New York’s 21st Congressional District, which has historically leaned Republican.
Constantino is known for his public displays of support for Trump, including a large “Vote for Trump” sign at his business, Sticker Mule, and has positioned himself as a staunch Trump loyalist. He believes his dedication to Trump’s ideals makes him the ideal candidate for the district and the House in general, expressing a strong motivation to serve and lead. The special election, triggered once Stefanik resigns, will require swift action from Governor Kathy Hochul to set a date for the voting.
Stec, a veteran and seasoned politician, argues that his experience and existent name recognition give him an edge in securing the nomination. Meanwhile, Constantino contends that the House needs more unwavering supporters of Trump who align closely with his administration’s agenda. His campaign has already generated significant attention, partly due to the controversial nature of his political endorsements and statements.
Political outsider running for Stefanik’s House seat bets on his viral devotion to Trump
EXCLUSIVE — Anthony Constantino, a New York businessman who made national headlines for his public dedication to President-elect Donald Trump, is running to succeed Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as she prepares to enter the Trump administration.
With Stefanik on track to become the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations after Trump’s inauguration, at least two Republicans have launched bids to be the GOP nominee for the special election in New York’s 21st Congressional District.
Constantino will face Republican state Sen. Dan Stec in a bid to win over local GOP chairs who will decide the nominee for the forthcoming special election. The 21st District has been reliably red, with the Republican nominee favored to hold the seat.
Stec is a Navy veteran who has served in New York state politics for over a decade and has a history of earning votes in the portion of Stefanik’s district he represents in the state senate. He told WWNY in New York that his name recognition, plus his experience, makes him the ideal candidate to run in a solid Republican district.
On the other side, Constantino, CEO of Sticker Mule, is best known for putting a 100-foot “Vote for Trump” sign over his novelty sticker and supply company’s headquarters in Amsterdam. A vocal and viral Trump supporter, Constantino said in an interview with the Washington Examiner he thinks he is just what the 21st District, and the House in general, needs.
“I’m highly motivated for the job,” Constantino said. “I like working, I like fighting. I like keeping busy and doing as many things as possible. So I think I’m the best choice by far.”
“I’ve never pursued anything in life I wouldn’t be good at doing, I’m just not used to doing that,” the CEO added. “I pursued creating a business and I became successful on my first try. Everything I’ve ever touched, it goes well.”
Once Stefanik vacates her seat, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) will need to call a special election within 10 days, with an election required to happen within 70 to 80 days after that.
With Stefanik and Rep. Mike Waltz’s (R-FL) departing the House to join the administration, House Republicans will hold a virtually nonexistent majority while New York and Florida prepare to fill their seats with special elections.
Republicans will gain a GOP trifecta come Jan. 20, but infighting between moderate and hard-line conservatives could affect key legislation — and GOP leadership cannot afford to lose any votes to pass bills along party lines.
Constantino thinks the House needs more die-hard Trump loyalists who won’t argue with the president. And in his eyes, there’s no bigger “Trump Republican” than himself.
Constantino prides himself on being among the first people “canceled” for donating to Trump in 2016, as well as endorsing the president-elect in 2024 after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. In a mass email to his company’s customers with the subject line “Trump 2024,” Constantino received heavy criticism once the memo went viral on social media.
“I don’t care what your political views are but the hate for Trump and his supporters has gone too far,” Constantino wrote. “I support Trump. Many at Sticker Mule do. Many at Sticker Mule also support Biden. The political hate needs to stop.”
“Btw, this week, get 1 shirt for $4 (normally $19). I suggest buying one that shows you support Trump,” he added in his email.
The memo had prompted over 30,000 comments across social media and hundreds of reaction videos on TikTok ranging from support to pledges to boycott the sticker supplier, according to a CNBC analysis. After the backlash from his endorsement subsided, people close to Constantino and his company told him to “stand down” and reel back his political views.
“And I said, ‘Listen, if I stand down, it’s gonna seem like the Democrats, once again, successfully silenced a Trump supporter,’” Constantino said.
In the weeks after his viral memo, Constantino put his support for Trump into overdrive. He stuffed nearly 1,000 envelopes encouraging neighbors and company connections to support the president-elect. He put a giant pro-Trump sign on the top of his company building, landing him in a legal battle that Constantino eventually won.
After Trump soundly defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in November last year, Constantino said Republican operative and close Trump ally Roger Stone invited him to dinner to thank him for his dedication to the president. At this point, Trump had nominated Stefanik to be U.N. ambassador.
“I said, ‘Hey Roger … people are calling me they want me to run for her seat. What do you think?’ and he just instantly, without missing a beat, said, ‘I think it’s a great idea. If you decide to do it, you’d have my full support,’” Constantino said.
Stone confirmed in an interview with the Washington Examiner that he and Constantino met several times, including at Mar-a-Lago. He expressed the businessman would be an excellent congressman and “Trump firebrand” — noting Trump “loved the entire controversy” over the Amsterdam sign.
“I think he brings energy to the conference,” Stone said of Constantino. “I think he gives new thinking to the politics. Because he’s not a career politician, essentially, he’s a mass marketer. So he would have to work on selling the Republican message to the American people, which he’s very good at.”
Constantino got his start in business in 2010 and leads Sticker Mule, one of the fastest-growing e-commerce companies that prints sticker, labels, keychains, and T-shirts, according to Forbes. He co-founded the company and built it from the ground up in nearly 15 years, with the company now located in 39 countries with 1,200 employees.
His fun fact? He has participated in several professional boxing matches in the last few years after taking up the sport in his spare time — and now he says it’s prepared him for the national political arena.
“Politics is a lot like business in terms of solving problems, but it’s a lot like boxing in terms of fighting,” Constantino said. “You got to fight in politics, and you got to fight and win. So I know how to fight inside the ring and I know how to fight outside the ring. I know what it takes to have the courage to get in the ring and fight.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to Stec and Trump for comment.
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