Blake Gendebien, Democrats’ pick for Congress, spoke in Hudson Falls

By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer

Blake Gendebien, the Democratic candidate for the upcoming NY-21 Congressional special election, spoke to a packed 5th floor of the Sandy Hill Arts Center in Hudson Falls at a meet and greet Sunday.

He introduced himself as “a family man, a dairy farmer, a father and a small business owner born and raised in Lisbon, New York, in the district,” adding, “I love this district.”

Warren County Democratic Committee Chair Lynne Boecher told the crowd Mr. Gendebien was “the unanimous choice of the 15 [Democratic] county chairs from the very get-go.”

Mr. Gendebien said, “We have almost raised $1.7 million, and there’s not even a race called yet.”

He said NY-21 “deserves representation that we haven’t had in a very long time.”

“Washington has failed us in so many ways and forgotten about us, and that is why I want to run for Congress. I want to be a champion for honesty, freedom and fairness…for everyone in NY-21.

“As a small business owner, I know what it’s like to try to make payroll when costs are increasing and I’m hamstrung by senseless regulations.

“As a nephew with an 81 year old uncle who had a stroke in June, I know what it’s like to drive him two and a half hours to Syracuse for doctor’s appointments. It’s an absolute shame, and we can do better.

“As a farmer, I know what it’s like to try to plant crops in an ever-changing environment with changing weather patterns. And I also know what it’s like to try to farm on the border in a broken immigration system.”

Mr. Gendebien noted, “My wife was born in Cuba. She is a Cuban immigrant, and she is an incredible asset to our community. She has started two small businesses and has employed as many as 13 people.

“And she’s not alone. There are thousands of immigrants in our district that provide incredible value to our community, and it’s really important that we support them and we acknowledge them.

“We have to stop ignoring [immigration]. It’s a humanitarian issue, it’s an economic issue. We have to fix it. And it does not need to be a divisive issue. It should be something that we all agree on.”

Mr. Gendebien told the enthusiastic crowd that “This election is going to be about turnout.”

Beyond Democrats, he said, “I promise you I will let Republicans and Independents know that we are the place that cares about their aging parents, their children’s education, their cousin’s job in the Adirondacks, their nephew’s job at the USDA, the healthcare, Medicaid, Social Security of all of our friends and neighbors, and that we care about working people.”

Mr. Gendebien borrowed an analogy from his farming background.

“I break people up into showhorses and workhorses,” he said. “What do showhorses do when it’s rainy, snowy, muddy, windy? They don’t want to get their ribbons wet; they go back into the barn.

“None of us in here are showhorses. We are workhorses.”

The date of the special election remains unknown. Republican Elise Stefanik remains the 21st District Congresswoman, with no vote set yet on her nomination as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Numerous Republicans have expressed interest in running for the seat upon Rep. Stefanik’s departure including State Senator Dan Stec, Assemblyman Chris Tague, previous congressional candidate Liz Joy, and Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino, among others.

In response to a question about Rep. Stefanik’s plans, Mr. Gendebien said, “We believe that she’s being asked to stay [in Congress] until the Florida specials happen April 1,” referring to two congressional special elections in Florida that day.

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