Trump Wave Crushes New York Machine

People in line next to Vote Here sign — NY MACHINE CRUSHED?

A Trump-endorsed outsider just steamrolled New York’s party machine in a primary that tests who really runs the Republican Party.

Story Snapshot

Trump-backed businessman Anthony Constantino is projected to defeat establishment favorite Robert Smullen in NY-21.
Constantino ran as a self-funding outsider closely aligned with Trump on immigration, costs, and America First priorities.
Smullen had the backing of the state Republican Party, most county committees, and major law-enforcement groups.
The race shows base voters siding with Trump’s movement over party insiders in a safe Republican district.

Trump’s Ally Tops the Party Machine in North Country Showdown

CBS News projects that Trump-backed businessman Anthony Constantino has defeated state Assemblyman Robert Smullen in the Republican primary for New York’s 21st Congressional District, the seat long held by Rep. Elise Stefanik.^[1]

With most precincts reporting, press accounts say Constantino led Smullen by roughly 18 points, a decisive margin in a district that leans Republican.^[2]

This means North Country Republicans chose a political outsider tied directly to President Donald Trump over the carefully groomed favorite of state party leaders.

Smullen came into the race with almost everything the old party system could give him. He is a Marine veteran and a long-serving state Assembly member, and he had the official backing of the New York Republican Party, plus endorsements from most county committees in the district and law-enforcement groups like the State Troopers and the Rifle and Pistol Association.^[9]

Why Constantino’s Win Matters for Trump Voters Nationwide

Anthony Constantino built his campaign on open loyalty to Trump and a promise to bring hard-edged outsider energy to Washington. He founded Sticker Mule in 2010 and turned it into an international company with over 1,000 employees, giving him a clear business record to point to when he talked about jobs and growth.^[1]

In his own ads, Constantino vowed to self-fund his campaign to stay independent and even pledged to donate his entire congressional salary to charity if elected.^[10] That message framed politics as service, not a career.

Trump’s preferred candidate wins primary to succeed Elise Stefanik https://t.co/S12jEgRdfS

— POLITICO (@politico) June 24, 2026

Constantino’s connection to Trump is not just a slogan. After the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Constantino put a massive “Vote for Trump” sign on his company’s headquarters, drawing national attention and heavy local pushback.^[1]^[6]

Trump praised him publicly for that show of support and later endorsed him, calling him a “great guy” who would never let voters down.^[1]^[3]

Constantino also presented Trump with a seven-foot bronze statue showing the president with a fist raised after the attack, something national media highlighted as proof of how far he was willing to go to stand with Trump.^[1]

Establishment Backlash, Negative Hits, and Unanswered Questions

Smullen and his allies tried hard to paint Constantino as unfit and untrustworthy. They pointed to Constantino’s past as a registered Democrat until 2024 and used that to question whether he is a lifelong conservative or an opportunist jumping on the Trump train.^[2]^[8]

Smullen’s campaign also accused Constantino of profiting from anti-Trump, anti-police, and pro-transgender sticker designs, a story that fit their narrative that Constantino’s business history did not match his America First message.^[9] Constantino denied those frames and stressed his long support for Trump and free speech.

The race also turned ugly over personal and legal charges that neither side fully proved. Constantino claimed Smullen had been arrested for felony tax fraud, misused more than $70,000 in campaign funds, and hired staffers with criminal records, but no court records or state election documents have been produced to back those charges.^[10]^[11]

Smullen called the accusations false and defamatory, but likewise did not release detailed records to clear the air.^[9]^[11]

Voters were left to sort through a fog of claims and counterclaims while the larger question remained: trust the Trump outsider or the party-backed veteran.

A Test of Trump’s Grip on the GOP – and What Comes Next

This primary fits a growing pattern in which Trump-endorsed candidates challenge Republicans seen as closer to the old guard. In recent cycles, Trump-backed candidates have won or advanced in dozens of Republican primaries, especially when they ran against figures who were lukewarm about his agenda.^[20]

Analysts note that this has become one of the main ways Trump reshapes the party: by turning primaries into referendums on loyalty to his America First priorities rather than seniority inside the party machine.^[21]

Since I know this district and these numbers like the back of my hand…as @Redistrict says “I’ve seen enough”

—

Congratulations to @constantino on his overwhelming victory in today’s #NY21 Republican primary!

This was a hard fought election and the voters have spoken loudly…

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) June 24, 2026

New York’s 21st District is safely Republican, so the primary winner is strongly favored in November.^[5]^[7] Constantino will now face Democrat Blake Gendebien, but the bigger story for conservatives is inside our own party.

Grassroots Republicans in a blue state just told Albany insiders and Washington consultants that Trump’s endorsement still matters more than committee rooms and backroom deals.^[2]

For voters frustrated by years of weak border policy, rising costs, and party leaders who seemed embarrassed by Trump, this is a clear sign that the base is still in charge.