Rep. Stefanik's Top Adviser May Succeed Her in House

The special election to succeed U.N. Ambassador-designate Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., in the U.S. House may have taken a new turn last week.

With more than a half-dozen local officials boomed for the Republican nomination in the forthcoming special election, sources within New York's 21st District told Newsmax the congresswoman's longtime top adviser may soon get into the race.

Alex deGrasse, who has worked on and run campaigns for Stefanik since 2017, is reportedly eyeing a bid for the seat she will soon relinquish. As soon as Stefanik's resignation takes effect, Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul will set the date for a special election within 10 days, and the election itself will be held in 70 to 80 days.

Under Empire State election law, the major parties will choose nominees by meetings of the 15 chairmen of the counties that comprise the 21st District. As one local wag put it, "The nominees to succeed Elise will be picked in smoke-free rooms."

Among Republicans, names range from those of Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, who won a second term by 2-1 in 2021; State Assemblyman Robert Smullen, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel; state Sen. Daniel Stec, also a close ally of Stefanik; Anthony Constantino, chief executive of Sticker Mule sticker manufacturing company, who spent $125,000 on a 100-foot long "Vote For Trump" sign atop his corporate headquarters in Montgomery County; and former Newsmax TV political commentator Joe Pinion, GOP nominee against Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer in 2022.

There is also talk of Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., who lost a razor-thin contest for reelection with Democrat Josh Riley in the neighboring 19th District earlier this month. Well-known from his 2018 losing race against Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Molinaro lives eight miles outside the 21st and could easily run there in a special election.

Among Democrats, talk centers around 2024 nominee Paula Collins, a cannabis tax attorney and special education teacher, and Assemblyman Billy Jones, a centrist who has run on lower taxes and more transparency in government and is the lone Democrat in the state legislature from the North Country.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.