A poll conducted by the firm that regularly does polling for outgoing Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has released numbers showing outspoken Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino beating his primary opponent State Rep. Robert Smullen by an overwhelming 27 percent.
The poll, taken by Gray House from Feb. 11 to 12, demonstrated the preferences of likely Republican primary voters in New York’s 21st Congressional District. 500 registered Republicans responded to the poll, and their responses show how impressively Constantino’s message is resonating across the vast Congressional district. .
The poll showed that 65 percent of respondents have heard of Constantino whereas only 26 percent of respondents have heard of Smullen. Constantino’s bombastic approach is resonating with the voters who are inclined to those messages considering their strong support for President Trump.
Respondents confirmed that the district is solidly MAGA. 71 percent of respondents stated that they believe the U.S. is headed in the right direction under President Trump while 87 percent stated that they believe the state of New York is headed in the wrong direction under Democrat Kathy Hochul. President Trump holds a +69 net favorability rating while departing Rep. Elise Stefanik holds a +68 favorability rating in the district.
Also boding well for Constantino’s chances, voters in his District are looking for someone with real-world experience rather than a career bureaucrat. 70 percent of respondents said that they “prefer a political outsider who has not held elected office but has instead gained real-world experience building a business and solving problems outside of government.” Only 14 percent of respondents said that they “prefer someone who has served in elected office and understands how government works.”
Additionally, Constantino has self-funded an astonishing $7.6 million into his own campaign account, giving him the sixth largest amount of campaign cash of any candidate running for the U.S. House and the most out of any non-incumbent. Constantino has contributed millions of his own money to demonstrate to the public that he cannot and will not be bought by special interests in Washington D.C.
“I do not want money from Big Pharma, Big Insurance, Big Tech, or any of the usual Washington power brokers. When you take their money, you work for them. I am not doing that. I will work for the people who live here and pay the taxes. Too many members of Congress are bought and paid for before they ever cast their first vote. I will not be one of them. I cannot be bought, and I will not be controlled. My only obligation will be to the people of this district,” Constantino said.
Meanwhile, Constantino’s opponent Smullen has been forced to resort to desperate attacks, painting Constantino as a Trump hater and a tax cheat despite zero evidence of those claims. This is despite the fact that Smullen was charged with a felony for filing documentation allowing him to receive military property tax relief at two residences and pled guilty to a lesser charge. Constantino is the clear choice to be Elise Stefanik’s successor as he represents the values of the District far more than his career politician opponent.
