The crowd chanted “Run, Bobby run!” and the Marines mingling exchanged “Semper Fis” as congressional candidate Robert Smullen of Johnstown shook hands and took photos with well-wishers Thursday as he began his campaign to succeed Elise Stefanik in Congress.

“Families are being crushed by inflation and rising costs,” the Republican state Assembly member told nearly 200 people at the Holiday Inn in Johnstown. “Police are being disrespected.”

“When I talk about putting upstate first, I mean it,” he added. “These aren’t just talking points; these are principles.”

Supporters, many of them elected officials in Fulton County, but also Montgomery, Hamilton, Washington and Essex counties, and party chairs from Herkimer, Oneida and Fulton counties — and Assembly member and fellow Marine Joe Angelino of Chenango County — stood with Smullen at the podium.

At a table, Broadalbin Town Board Member Michael Rorick and Sheila Dorn, also of Broadalbin, said accountability and integrity are important issues in the race.

“It’s America the land of the free, not the free ride,” Rorick said. “We need to have some values and integrity.”

“We all want the same thing: to pass the bills that are most important to help people,” Dunn said. “We can agree to disagree, but we have to figure out how to come up with a resolution everyone can agree on.”

Goals: Economy and unity

Goal No. 1 for the 21st District is to improve the economy, Smullen said earlier in the day. To do that, it needs to improve its infrastructure, particularly its broadband access.

The goal is to make the district a destination for the young professionals coming out of the district’s colleges and high schools.

“That’s what I mean by upstate first,” he said.

Smullen also said he hopes to unify the 21st District’s many voices, using his Marine Corps experience, where Marines from across the nation had to learn to work together.

“I think I have the ability and the skills to bring people together,” he said. “I think I’ve shown to the people of this district that they trust me.”

Ties to Trump

Smullen stresses his connections to President Donald Trump, who won the 21st District in 2024 with 60.7% of the popular vote. However, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released earlier last week showed Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 38%, and to 82% among Republicans from 87%.

Reuters reports the dissatisfaction is based on Trump’s handling of everyday living expenses, where approval dropped to 26% from 29% earlier this month.

“I stand with President Trump for stronger borders, stronger families and stronger values,” Smullen said. “I firmly believe I’m the best candidate for the role.”

Trump appointed Smullen to the President’s Commission on White House Fellows, after Smullen had been named a fellow attached to the Department of Energy by then-President George W. Bush.

‘What would the vast majority do’

Smullen refers to his experiences as “tours”: Three in combat assignments over 24 years with the Marine Corps in Afghanistan, including Operation Enduring Freedom, and four in the Assembly since 2018, where he was uncontested for reelection in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

“I think to myself, ‘What would the vast majority of the people do?’ and that’s how I vote,” Smullen said.

Smullen has sponsored or co-sponsored 11 bills that have been adopted into law: six of home-rule legislation allowing counties to continue a tax or issue bonds; three to name portions of state highways in honor of people; and one to allow patients to take part in multiple transplant programs.

The 11th bill, to prohibit charges to issue a certificate of stillbirth or pregnancy loss, was delivered to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk earlier this week.

Smullen chairs the Assembly Republican Conference, co-chairs the Assembly Sportsmen’s Caucus, and is the author of the Assembly Republican Rural Initiative. He is also the chair of the Assembly Republican Review Committee and is a national board member of the American Legislative Exchange Council, which writes and shares legislation conservatives can try to adopt across state governments.

Enrollment advantage

About 43.3% of the 15-county district’s 520,000 voters are........

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