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D Democratic · U.S. House 21, New York · Nov 3, 2026

Blake
Gendebien

Democratic dairy farmer Blake Gendebien is the 2026 nominee for New York's 21st Congressional District.

Researched checked 6 d ago
sources
28
positions
12
endorsements
25
blakegendebienforcongress.com ↗(opens in a new tab) X(opens in a new tab)Instagram(opens in a new tab)
Opponents Anthony Constantino R+ 1 more Compare race →

Background

Blake Gendebien is the Democratic candidate for New York's 21st Congressional District in the November 3, 2026 general election, running for the open seat previously held by Representative Elise Stefanik. 123 He was born and raised in Lisbon, New York, in the North Country region, and earned a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Business and Management from Penn State University (1995–1999). 522 Before farming full-time, he worked in sales and marketing at AGCO Corporation from 1999 to 2003. 17

Gendebien has owned and operated Twin Mill Farms, a family dairy operation in Lisbon, for more than 22 years. The farm encompasses over 1,000 acres, 500 dairy cows, and 12 full-time employees. 512 He was elected to the Lisbon Central School Board and later served as its president, and was also elected vice chair of the Agri-Mark cooperative board. 520

Along with his wife, Gendebien co-founded the Jules of Life Foundation, which supports families affected by pediatric cancer. 5 His campaign platform emphasizes rural healthcare, border security, and agricultural issues. 1021 He won the Democratic primary in 2026, defeating restaurateur Stuart Amoriell, and received an endorsement from NYSUT ahead of the general election. 1120

At a glance

Party
Democratic
Running for
U.S. House · District 21, New York
Election
Nov 3, 2026
Current office
Owner and operator, Twin Mill Farms
Website
blakegendebienforcongress.com(opens in a new tab)

Where they stand

Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.

Timeline

  1. Oct 9
    debate
    Debate status unresolved: Constantino agrees, Gendebien confirmation pending

    CBS6 reported that Constantino had agreed to participate in a debate, but was still awaiting confirmation from Gendebien's campaign. No completed debate between the two candidates was established by the sources.

    Candidates respond to the new Times Union/Siena Poll · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  2. Oct 9
    poll
    Siena poll shows Gendebien leading Constantino 46–42 in NY-21

    A Siena Research Institute survey of nearly 500 likely voters (conducted Sept. 30–Oct. 6) for WAMC, the Times Union, and WPTZ found Gendebien at 46% and Constantino at 42%, a 4-point margin within the 4.6-point margin of error. Gendebien led on affordability and healthcare issues.

    Gendebien leads Constantino in new Siena NY-21 poll · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  3. Oct 9
    poll
    Gendebien campaign's internal poll shows him trailing Constantino 45–48

    A campaign-commissioned internal poll conducted September 29–October 4 showed Constantino ahead 48% to 45% over Gendebien, a 3-point deficit. This was not an independent survey.

    Gendebien internal poll shows him 3 points down against ... · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  4. Oct 8
    news
    New York State Police close investigation into Gendebien illegal-dumping complaint

    NYSP announced their investigation into the illegal-dumping complaint against Gendebien had been closed. Gendebien's campaign stated he was never a subject of the investigation. Investigators did not verify claims about cattle or water contamination.

    NYSP closes investigation into Blake Gendebien illegal dumping complaint · Oct 8, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  5. Oct 7
    debate
    Gendebien discusses debate scheduling disputes and rural healthcare with Spectrum News

    In an interview with Spectrum News, Gendebien said he had been willing to debate earlier but that Constantino had set requirements he could not meet. He also discussed rural healthcare issues and criticized Constantino's self-funding, saying 'He is self-funding to buy this seat.'

    NY-21 Democratic candidate Blake Gendebien talks debates, rural healthcare · Oct 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  6. Oct 6
    news
    Democrats dump national money into NY-21 race to succeed Rep. Stefanik

    National Democratic attention and funding increased for Gendebien's campaign. Gendebien was reported to have raised more than $2 million in the last quarter, while Republican Constantino was reported to have self-funded $16 million.

    Democrats dump money into race to succeed North Country star Rep. Stefanik · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  7. Oct 6
    news
    DEC clears Gendebien of illegal-dumping complaint, finds no violations

    The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed it had investigated the illegal-dumping complaint against Gendebien's farm, found no violations, and closed the matter. The findings did not substantiate Constantino's allegations.

    DEC clears Gendebien of illegal-dumping complaint · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  8. Oct 5
    endorsement
    DCCC adds Gendebien to 'Red to Blue' list, pledges additional campaign support

    The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Gendebien to its 'Red to Blue' program, designating NY-21 as a competitive race. DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene praised Gendebien in the announcement. The campaign also reported raising $7.5 million from 84,000 donors.

    Democrats move NY-21 to 'Red to Blue' list · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  9. Sep 17
    filing
    Gendebien certified on Democratic ballot line for NY-21 House race

    The New York State Board of Elections certified Blake Gendebien on the Democratic line for U.S. House District 21, placing him on the November 3 general-election ballot.

    Blake Gendebien (D) — U.S. Representative, NY-21 | 2026 profile · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Endorsements

  • Teamsters Local 687 union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • Clinton County Democratic Committee official
    Named as backing Gendebien before the primary. adirondackdailyenterprise.com
  • Washington County Democratic Committee official
    Named as backing Gendebien before the primary. adirondackdailyenterprise.com
  • St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee official
    Unanimously endorsed Gendebien; no specific date stated on their page. stlcdemocrats.com
  • GrayPAC organization
    Endorsement archive lists Gendebien for NY-21 in 2026; no specific date given. graypac.org
  • IBEW Local 910 union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • IBEW Local 43 union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • LIUNA Local 1822 union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • UFCW Local 1 union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2 union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) organization
    Candidate page lists Gendebien as a 2026 endorsed candidate; no date stated. nylcv.org
  • Central New York Labor Council union
    Named in the AFL-CIO endorsement announcement as having supported Gendebien; no separate date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • Oneida County Democratic Committee official
    Named as backing Gendebien before the primary. adirondackdailyenterprise.com
  • Jefferson County Democratic Committee official
    Named as backing Gendebien before the primary. adirondackdailyenterprise.com
  • Rome City Democratic Committee official
    Named as backing Gendebien before the primary. adirondackdailyenterprise.com
  • 1199 SEIU union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • CSEA union
    Lists Gendebien as its endorsed candidate for NY-21; no individual announcement date given. cseany.org
  • IBEW Local 2032 union
    Listed on campaign endorsements page; no date given. blakegendebienforcongress.com
  • New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) union
    Included in NYSNA's 2026 general election endorsements announced September 21, 2026. nysna.org · Sep 21, 2026
  • Third Act Upstate New York organization
    Website endorses Gendebien for NY-21; page posted September 1, 2026. thirdact.org · Sep 1, 2026
  • New York State AFL-CIO union
    Announced endorsement on August 31, 2026. blakegendebienforcongress.com · Aug 31, 2026
  • New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) union
    Announced endorsement on August 19, 2026. blakegendebienforcongress.com · Aug 19, 2026
  • League of Conservation Voters Action Fund organization
    Announced endorsement on July 16, 2026. lcv.org · Jul 16, 2026
  • 15 Democratic county chairs in NY-21 official
    The 15 county representatives unanimously selected Gendebien as the presumptive Democratic nominee after his primary win. wamc.org · Jun 24, 2026

Campaign finance

Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.

Raised
$5.46M
Spent
$3.09M
Cash on hand
$2.62M

As of Jun 30, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H6NY21199(opens in a new tab)

Sources 28

  1. [1] Candidates respond to the new Times Union/Siena Poll(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
  2. [2] Gendebien internal poll shows him 3 points down against ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
  3. [3] Gendebien leads Constantino in new Siena NY-21 poll(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
  4. [4] NYSP closes investigation into Blake Gendebien illegal dumping complaint(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
  5. [5] NY-21 Democratic candidate Blake Gendebien talks debates, rural healthcare(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
  6. [6] DEC clears Gendebien of illegal-dumping complaint(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
  7. [7] Democrats dump money into race to succeed North Country star Rep. Stefanik(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
  8. [8] Democrats move NY-21 to 'Red to Blue' list(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
  9. [9] Archives: Endorsements(opens in a new tab) Oct 2, 2026
  10. [10] Campaign Countdown: New York's 21st Congressional ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 2, 2026
  11. [11] Legislative & Political Action - CSEA NY(opens in a new tab) Sep 30, 2026
  12. [12] Endorsements - Blake Gendebien for Congress(opens in a new tab) Sep 27, 2026
  13. [13] Blake Gendebien (D) — U.S. Representative, NY-21 | 2026 profile(opens in a new tab) Sep 24, 2026
  14. [14] NYSNA 2026 General Election Endorsements | New York ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 21, 2026
  15. [15] Blake Gendebien holds roundtable to discuss high energy costs(opens in a new tab) Sep 18, 2026
  16. [16] Meet the cop-loving North Country dairy farmer Democrat trying to flip Stefanik’s seat(opens in a new tab) Sep 3, 2026
  17. [17] Uplift Democracy | Third Act Upstate NY Endorsements(opens in a new tab) Sep 1, 2026
  18. [18] NYS AFL-CIO Endorses Blake Gendebien for Congress in NY-21(opens in a new tab) Aug 31, 2026
  19. [19] NYSUT Endorses Blake Gendebien for Congress in New York's 21st ...(opens in a new tab) Aug 31, 2026
  20. [20] The Issues - Blake Gendebien for Congress(opens in a new tab) Aug 12, 2026
  21. [21] Blake Gendebien(opens in a new tab) Jul 23, 2026
  22. [22] LCV Action Fund Announces New Endorsements for U.S. ...(opens in a new tab) Jul 16, 2026
  23. [23] Blake Gendebien wins Democratic primary for NY-21 Congressional ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 24, 2026
  24. [24] Q&A: Gendebien answers questions about issues impacting NY-21(opens in a new tab) Jun 22, 2026
  25. [25] It's dairy farmer Blake Gendebien vs. restaurateur Stuart Amoriell in the NY-21 Democratic primary(opens in a new tab) May 26, 2026
  26. [26] Gendebien aims to take control of NY-21 Democratic field(opens in a new tab) Apr 8, 2026
  27. [27] In the News | St. Lawrence County Democrats(opens in a new tab) Dec 19, 2025
  28. [28] NY-21 TOWN HALL ROUND UP: North Country Dairy Farmer Blake ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 25, 2025
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