2025 New York's 21st congressional district special election explained

Election Name:	2025 New York's 21st congressional district special election
Country:	New York
Type:	by-election
Ongoing:	yes
Previous Election:	2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 21
Previous Year:	2024
Next Year:	2026
Next Election:	2026 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 21
Election Date:	2025
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
U.S. Representative
Before Election:	Elise Stefanik
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)

See also: New York's 21st congressional district.

The 2025 New York's 21st congressional district special election is an expected special election to choose a new member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The seat is expected to become vacant as Republican incumbent Elise Stefanik was chosen by president-elect Donald Trump to be his nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.^[1] Stefanik was re-elected with 62.2% of the vote in 2024.

Candidates

County party officials will select their respective nominees in lieu of a primary.

Republican Party

Declared

• Anthony Constantino, printing company owner^[2]

Filed paperwork

• Otto Dean Miller^[3]

Publicly expressed interest

• Steven McLaughlin, Rensselaer County Executive (2018–present)
• Jeremy Messina, former member of the Greenwich Planning Board
• Marc Molinaro, outgoing U.S. Representative from (2023–2025)^[4]
• Chris Tague, state assemblymember from the 102nd district (2018–present) and chair of the Schoharie County Republican Party^[5]

Potential

• Joe Pinion, former NewsMax host and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2022
• Robert Smullen, state assemblymember from the 118th district (2019–present)^[5]
• Dan Stec, state senator from the 45th district (2021–present)^[5]
• Mark Walczyk, state senator from the 49th district (2023–present)

Declined

• Richard Giardino, Fulton County Sheriff (2015–present)^[6]

Democratic Party

Declared

• Steve Holden, financial management consultant and nominee for the 24th district in 2022^[7]
• Paula Collins, cannabis tax attorney and nominee for this district in 2024^[8]

Publicly expressed interest

• Billy Jones, state assemblymember from the 115th district (2017–present)^[9]
• Timothy Knight, mayor of Middleburgh (2023–present)^[10]

Declined

• Matt Castelli, former director of counterterrorism for the U.S. National Security Council and nominee for this district in 2022^[8]

External Links

• Paula Collins (D) for Congress

Notes and References

1. News: . November 13, 2024 . Trump chooses Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations . Haake, Garrett . Shabad, Rebecca . November 11, 2024.
2. News: . November 22, 2024 . Sticker Mule CEO announces intent to run for Congress. Green, Matthew . November 20, 2024 .
3. Web site: FEC Form 2 for Report FEC-1848956 . 2024-11-16 . docquery.fec.gov.
4. News: . Ousted Rep. Molinaro eyes bid for neighboring House seat. November 14, 2024 . November 13, 2024 . Solender, Andrew .
5. Web site: Coincidence much? Congestion pricing is alive again. Beeferman. Jason. November 11, 2024. November 11, 2024. Politico.
6. News: November 14, 2024 . . Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino not pursuing bid for Congress . McNeill, Tyler . November 12, 2024 .
7. Web site: Cusanelli . Michael . 2024-11-26 . Steve Holden, Anthony Constantino vie for party nominations in NY-21 special election . 2024-11-27 . . en.
8. News: . With Stefanik headed to U.N., here's who could take her seat in Congress . November 14, 2024 . Hodgman, Lucy . November 13, 2024.
9. Jones thinking about running for Stefanik seat . 2024-11-14 . en . 2024-11-15 . WCAX-TV.
10. Web site: McNeil . Tyler . 2024-11-19 . Democratic Middleburgh mayor mulling bid for NY-21 . 2024-11-21 . . en.