On December 19, 2025, Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, a steadfast red conservative who has consistently voted in line with Republican priorities and demonstrated unwavering loyalty to President Donald J. Trump and the broader GOP mission, suspended her bid for New York governor and announced she would not seek re-election to New York’s 21st Congressional District. She emphasized her commitment to prioritizing family time with her young son, noting that while she would have overwhelmingly won the primary, family comes first, especially during these formative years.
In the wake of Stefanik’s departure from this solidly Republican seat, Marc Molinaro, a former Never Trumper who now serves as Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration after losing his NY-19 re-election bid in 2024, is reportedly maneuvering for a political comeback.
As of early January 2026, including reports dated January 8, Molinaro is actively exploring a run for the NY-21 seat, reaching out to key party leaders such as New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar, despite this prolonged history of inconsistent positions that make him unqualified to represent a district as reliably red as this one.
Molinaro is a lifelong Republican in name only, a Never Trumper, often running on additional ballot lines like the Conservative Party. His career is marred by constant flip-flopping that undermines his credibility for a true Republican stronghold like NY-21.
While he emphasizes local government revitalization, bipartisan initiatives (such as his 2015 “Think Differently” program for disabilities), and transportation issues, critics see him as a supposed moderate who shifts stances to chase electoral winds, leaning centrist in blue-leaning areas and veering hard-right when needed to appease the GOP base. This opportunism has drawn sharp rebukes, painting him as unqualified for a district that demands unyielding conservative, right leaning principles.
Critics highlight many telling examples of Molinaro’s inconsistencies, such as his 2020 participation in a Black Lives Matter rally in Poughkeepsie, where as Dutchess County Executive he marched with protesters, took a knee, and delivered a speech declaring, “But I have the utmost respect for my need, my need as a white American to kneel and listen to you.” That moment of deference to progressive causes stands in sharp contrast to his later embrace of MAGA-style rhetoric, underscoring the teeter-tottering that has defined his political journey.
Specific examples of Molinaro’s position-shifts are abundant. On immigration and border security, during his 2018 gubernatorial run (which he lost to Andrew Cuomo), he openly criticized Trump-era family separations at the border, calling them policies that “should come to an end” and deliberately distancing himself from hardline tactics.
Yet by his 2022 and 2024 congressional campaigns in the swing district of NY-19, he suddenly adopted far more aggressive rhetoric, blaming Democrats for “open borders,” voting in favor of the Secure the Border Act, and even amplifying claims that Haitian immigrants were “eating pets.”
His campaign ads aggressively tied opponents to the costs of migrants in New York, marking a clear rightward pivot that detractors rightly label as pandering to the moment amid the 2020s border surge, a complete 180 from his prior stance.
His stance on abortion and reproductive rights, further fuel strong inconsistencies.
A leaked audio from an August 2022 town hall (which surfaced in 2024) reveals Molinaro expressing personal openness to a federal abortion limit of 15 to 17 weeks, despite his repeated opposition to any national ban.
Molinaro has long described himself as “personally pro-life” while opposing a national abortion ban and deferring decisions to states or doctors. This position conveniently aligned with New York’s highly permissive laws during his time as Dutchess County Executive from 2012 to 2022.
During his brief congressional tenure from 2023 to 2024, however, he shifted course by voting against codifying Roe v. Wade federally, opposing Department of Defense abortion travel reimbursements, and supporting the Born-Alive Act. Democrats labeled these actions as 13 anti-access measures and used them to help secure his narrow 2024 defeat to Josh Riley. Despite running ads vowing to protect IVF access and promising no interference with New York laws, the resurfaced audio undermines his claims of consistency on the issue.
Congestion pricing and transit policies remain a deeply important issue for New Yorkers, particularly those who drive into Manhattan, the heart of New York City. It is ironic, given his current FTA role, that Molinaro supported MTA expansions and transit investments as Dutchess County Executive before 2023 to directly benefit his area, yet in Congress and during his 2025 FTA nomination he abruptly reversed course, slamming NYC’s congestion pricing as a “bad, unpopular idea” and demanding hearings on MTA “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
This shift aligns closely with Trump/MAGA anti-urban sentiments, even though he is now responsible for overseeing nationwide transit funding. It is widely viewed as yet another calculated adaptation designed to please the Republican base, making him, once again, appear inauthentic and opportunistic.
These reversals tie directly to Molinaro’s mixed record of losses (2018 governor, 2022 special election, 2024 re-election) and wins (2022 general), where narrow margins in purple districts forced him to appease varying factions.
Molinaro’s “Never Trumper” label stems from his own admissions about the 2016 presidential vote. He didn’t support Trump, instead writing in ex-Rep. Chris Gibson, citing disagreements on issues like Charlottesville and family separations. In 2018, while opponents like Cuomo branded him a “Trump mini-me,” Molinaro distanced himself, vowing to “go high” and critiquing Trump.
By 2024, he fully endorsed Trump, campaigning with figures like Jim Jordan. This about-face has invited scorn from both moderates and MAGA purists mocking him as a “RINO” after his 2024 defeat.
Remarkably, despite his prior convictions against Trump, he was nominated for FTA in 2025, perhaps strategically overlooking past disloyalty, but it doesn’t erase the perception of unreliability in a polarized GOP where Molinaro’s high bipartisanship scores in Congress make him a frequent target.
Molinaro’s political career began early. He was elected to the Village of Tivoli Board of Trustees at age 18 in 1994, becoming the youngest U.S. mayor at 19 in 1995 and serving Tivoli for about 12 years. Overlapping this period, he served four terms in the Dutchess County Legislature from about 1996 to 2006. In 2007, he won a seat in the New York State Assembly (103rd District), serving two terms through 2011 as Assistant Minority Leader pro tempore.
He then became Dutchess County Executive in 2012, holding the role for three terms (re-elected in 2015 and 2019) until resigning in early 2023 for Congress. While his entire career has been in government, it’s high time we vote in new blood, someone who is more than capable of fighting for the party.
Standing in welcoming contrast, Anthony Constantino, the dedicated owner and CEO of Sticker Mule, a thriving custom printing and merchandise company headquartered in Amsterdam, NY, that employs over 1,000 people worldwide, has stepped forward as a strong contender for the Republican nomination in New York’s 21st Congressional District.
Constantino formally launched his campaign on November 25, 2025, with a high-energy event in Amsterdam featuring patriotic speeches, community giveaways, and a celebration of American entrepreneurship.
As a successful private-sector leader who built Sticker Mule from the ground up into a global brand, he embodies the core Republican values of hard work, innovation, and economic freedom offering voters a principled outsider who has consistently lived and promoted those ideals through his business, rather than shifting positions for political gain.
A staunch Trump supporter, Constantino highlights his outsider business savvy perspective, noting in interviews that his experience servicing up to 10,000 customers daily equips him better than career politicians to tackle issues like economic growth, border security, and reducing government waste. His campaign has already generated buzz, with viral announcements and a focus on Trump loyalty, positioning him as a fresh, principled voice in a race that’s become testy.
We must reject these phony careerist turncoats and vote in real leaders like Anthony Constantino, who actually believe what they say and stand firm on principles, refusing to shift with every political windmill. In NY-21, voters deserve rock-solid, unwavering commitment to the Republican mission, not another dose of blatant opportunism and deceit.
