If we want to fix things in Washington, send a farmer.
That’s the message Blake Gendebien, a North Country dairy farmer running for Congress in a special election for Elise Stefanik’s seat, brought to Schoharie County Sunday.
Congresswoman Stefanik has been nominated to the United Nations, which would open up her seat in the 21st Congressional District.
Mr. Gendebien is Democrats’ pick for the race; no date has been set for the special election—Ms. Stefanik has yet to resign Congress—and while Assemblyman Chris Tague is considered a front-runner for the GOP’s nod, they’ve yet to settle on a candidate.
Born and raised in Lisbon, New York on a 50-cow farm, Mr. Gendebien attended Penn State, returning home to help his father grow the farm to 500 cows and 1,200 acres.
His wife, Carmen, is a small business owner originally from Cuba—“the country” and they have three boys, who learned their work ethic from “chores, chores, chores” Mr. Gendebien told about 75 Democrats from Schoharie County and beyond at the meet and greet in Middleburgh.
He stressed his firsthand experience with issues like immigration and spoke to a common sense approach for things like gun laws.
“Guys,” he told the crowd, “I’m not leaving for New York City on the weekend. My cows stay home.”
The North Country, Schoharie County, and New York State share the same struggles, he said: health care that’s more than two hours away, a broken immigration system, and trying to farm while “chasing the weather.”
“We have been forgotten in Washington,” he said.
“When you want to talk about controlling costs at the dinner table, how about you send a farmer?”
Lisbon, in St. Lawrence County, sits at the Canadian border, and Mr. Gendebien said not just farmers, but forestry, construction, small businesses, “the backbone of the rural economy,” and other industries need legal, meaningful immigration reform along with a secure border.
Farmers he knows, he said, have walked into their barns in the morning, to find cold, freezing families seeking shelter there.
At the same time, “I have three children going down my driveway every day to public school. It’s past time we stop allowing this to be a polarizing issue.”
Taking questions from the crowd, Mr. Gendebien said it’s unacceptable for veterans to have anything less than the “Cadillac plan for health care…In no way is it acceptable for an unelected billionaire to pull benefits from Schoharie County. We can’t allow this.”
“What are you going to do about it?” asked Kenneth Lewon of Conesville from the audience.
“We have to get elected. Then we’re going to fight,” Mr. Gendebien answered.
He’s vocally pro-choice, he said, and a proud gun owner who believes in the 2nd Amendment.
“There are things we can do today, like universal background checks and safe storage laws…I want to focus on the things we can get done.”
Dave Hitt of Jefferson told Mr. Gendebien “We need someone to kick ass against the crazies. We need a defender.”
Mr. Gendebien promised he’s that guy.
“I don’t like bullies,” he said. “I’m going to fight tooth and nail. You will not be alone.”