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Candidates › NY-21 race › 2025–2026
Blake Gendebien
D Democratic nominee for U.S. House, NY-21
Has not served in Congress
- On the ballot
- On the general election ballotNov 3, 2026 · New York US House 21
- Where to vote
- Find your polling place (opens in a new tab) · More ways to vote
- Top priorities
- Lowering Costs
- Immigration & Securing Our Border
- Supporting Farms and Small Businesses
- Improving Healthcare
- Supporting Our Veterans
- Money
- $7.7M raised, $7.5M spent, $364K cash on hand (through Oct 14, 2026). Where it comes from
- Who gives
- 43% of individual money from donors at $200 or less · 52% from New York · largest committee giver LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA) PAC, $10K
- Outside groups
- $644.7K supporting, $140K opposing Gendebien
- Backed by
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees · NYS AFL-CIO · Police Conference of New York and 23 more. As the campaign lists them
- Polling
- 46% in the latest poll (Siena University) · leads Anthony Constantino by 4 points on average. The polls
6 priorities from blakegendebienforcongress.com, in the order they are listed there. Every heading and the text under it is copied exactly, as one passage for each page it is from, and links to that place on the page; hover a source to see which passage it opens.
The Issues ↗ (opens blakegendebienforcongress.com/issues at this heading)
Too many working families and seniors in our district are feeling the squeeze, struggling to keep up with rising costs. But instead of making life more affordable, politicians in Washington and Albany are busy playing political games and catering to dark money special interest groups. With nearly half of our community over 65 and living on fixed incomes, we need real solutions to bring prices down and make everyday essentials affordable.
As a farmer and small business owner, I know how to stretch a dollar and keep costs down at the dinner table—it’s just common sense. We need that same approach in policy making. That means repealing costly and unnecessary government regulations, supporting fair trade deals, bringing back American manufacturing, and strengthening our supply chains. I’m committed to fighting for policies that lower costs, protect seniors, and put working families first—because that’s what real leadership looks like.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · blakegendebienforcongress.com/issues
New York’s 21st district is a border district, and for too long politicians on both sides of the aisle have failed to deliver real immigration reform. Instead of fixing the problem, they use it as a political wedge to divide us. It’s time for serious, bipartisan solutions that actually work for our communities.
We need to make it harder to enter our country illegally, but easier to enter legally. When elected, I will push to hire more Border Patrol agents to keep our ports of entry well-staffed, increase funding for local law enforcement to help keep our communities safe, fight human trafficking, and help deport criminals who have entered this country illegally. We also need to invest in better physical infrastructure at our points of entry to keep them open longer hours and to stop the flow of all illegal drugs and criminals from crossing our border while improving the legal immigration process. We must fix the broken H-2A and H-2B guest worker programs and build a program to meet the needs of livestock farmers and food processors to ensure our agricultural industry has the reliable labor force it needs.
By enacting smart, commonsense policies, we can secure our border, strengthen our workforce, and lower costs for American families—without the political games.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · blakegendebienforcongress.com/issues
Farms and small businesses are the backbone of our rural economy, and we need policies that help them not just survive, but thrive. As a farmer and small business owner myself, I know firsthand that we can do more to support farms and Main Street businesses.
We must cut burdensome government regulations that drive up costs and make it harder to do business in rural America. Investing in roads, bridges, and rural broadband will open new opportunities and improve connectivity for businesses and families alike.
A stronger rural economy also relies on investing in the next generation. We need to create programs to help young farmers and the next generation of entrepreneurs thrive in the North Country. That means expanding vocational and trade school opportunities—like our BOCES programs and Agricultural Studies Academy—so young people have the skills they need to succeed after high school.
We also need to ensure our North Country economy continues to adapt to technological development. I will work to promote growth and innovation in the North Country while supporting responsible regulations in cryptocurrency and AI to protect workers and consumers. I will also support expanding training in these fields for workers in the North Country to ensure our region can take advantage of new job opportunities in the digital age.
By making smart investments and cutting unnecessary red tape, we can build a more competitive rural economy that works for everyone.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · blakegendebienforcongress.com/issues
Access to quality healthcare is essential, especially in rural communities. That’s why I will never vote to cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid—seniors and families deserve the care they’ve earned.
To improve healthcare in our region, we must expand access by growing telehealth services and investing in better transportation options to connect patients with the care they need. Lowering prescription drug costs is also critical to making healthcare more affordable for families and seniors.
In our schools, we need to prioritize proper nutrition, including restoring whole milk options, to support children’s health and development. At the same time, we must make it easier and more affordable for healthcare workers to stay in our community, ensuring we have enough doctors, nurses, and specialists to meet local needs. Expanding access to healthcare will give individuals and families more control over their care.
We also must protect a woman’s right to choose and oppose new regulations that put in place total abortion bans, even in cases of rape or when the life of the woman is at stake. I support preserving access to safe, affordable contraception. I also support preserving access to age-appropriate reproductive health education to support informed decisions.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · blakegendebienforcongress.com/issues
Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and it’s our duty to ensure they receive the care and support they have earned. We must expand access to VA services and community centers so veterans can easily get the help they need.
Expanding mental health services is critical to addressing the unique challenges veterans face, and providing mobile VA clinics and a 24/7 hotline will ensure care is available even in the most remote areas. We also need to strengthen community care programs, allowing veterans to access high-quality treatment from non-VA providers when needed. Improving emergency and specialty care will ensure veterans receive timely and comprehensive treatment, and expanding transportation programs will help them get to and from appointments.
Beyond healthcare, we must also focus on economic opportunities for our veterans. Expanding job training programs, supporting veteran-owned businesses, and strengthening hiring initiatives will help ensure those who served can find good-paying jobs and build successful careers. No veteran should struggle to provide for their family after serving our country.
We can build a system that truly honors our veterans—offering them the quality healthcare and economic security that they have earned through service to our great country.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · blakegendebienforcongress.com/issues
To most Americans, it’s obvious that the politics in Washington, and even in Albany, are broken. Money is at the root of the problem – too many politicians see elected office as a means to personal financial gain and special interest groups are more than happy to buy their votes. Our country, and the North Country, need representatives that are in D.C. to work hard for the people that elected them, not enrich themselves.
I’m committed to cleaning up Washington and I will always be responsive to the voters of the North Country, not special interests. We need to end the “elected to lobbyist” pipeline and get dark money out of politics. I will be a champion for fairness, accountability, and transparency. The system is not serving the North Country – we need change.
- Ban members of Congress and their families from trading individual stocks. In 2025 alone, members of Congress from both parties made a total of more than $635 million in trades, all while working families struggled with rising costs. Public service isn’t a profit center, and that’s why 86% of Americans support banning members from trading individual stocks.
- End the presidential pardon power. As pardons become more and more politicized for personal benefit, a majority of Americans believe the power should be limited.
- Require a five-day work week for members of Congress. Average Americans work five days a week, yet the House of Representatives only worked 105 voting days in 2025 – even despite having 136 scheduled session days. It’s time for Congress to get to work and deliver, not let lawmakers leave when policy stalls.
- Establish term limits of three House elections. 87% of Americans support term limits for members of Congress. That’s why Gendebien signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge.
- Suspend congressional pay during government shutdowns. While members of Congress cause shutdowns, public servants and servicemembers have their pay withheld and suffer the most. If families lose paychecks because Congress can’t work together effectively, members should, too.
- Require members to live in the district they represent. Representation starts at home.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · blakegendebienforcongress.com/issues