Trump's sticker mogul goes to Congress

Anthony Constantino, a 43-year-old businessman who made his fortune with Sticker Mule, is the Republican nominee in upstate New York's 21st congressional district and is favored to replace retiring Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Shameless Trump devotion pays off

Since 2024, Constantino has given Trump a life-size statue, erected a massive "Vote for Trump" sign visible from satellites, and released an album called "Thank You President Trump" with a track repeating the president's name.

Trump picks him over the party choice

Trump endorsed Constantino over Assemblyman Robert Smullen, a retired Marine colonel backed by the state party. Constantino won the primary by 19 points.

Two very different paths to MAGA

Elise Stefanik, Constantino's predecessor, was a Harvard-educated moderate who became the youngest woman elected to Congress in 2014 before pivoting to MAGA and getting humiliated when Trump pulled her UN ambassador nomination.

From screwup to MAGA provocateur

Constantino describes himself as "sort of a screwup" as a kid. He's a small-time rapper and boxer who channels MAGA's "gleefully offensive id" rather than trying to make it coherent.

Campaign launch with offensive rhetoric

At his campaign launch in front of a wall of free turkeys, Constantino called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a "perra falsa" (fake bitch) and told the Conservative Party head to get "his ass" in a boxing ring so he could punch him "in the fucking face legally."

Music videos with violent imagery

In a diss track against New York state senator Zohran Mamdani, Constantino raps "fuck you bitch" and makes a throat-slitting gesture while rapping about the mayor's "boy Osama."

Criminal associates surround him

Constantino's close associates have been accused or found guilty of kidnapping, stealing money from a youth baseball league, and lying to Congress, establishing a pattern of serious criminal conduct.

From printing to boxing to politics

Constantino co-founded Sticker Mule in 2010, bringing hundreds of manufacturing jobs to his region. He later spent years training as a boxer in Mexico, winning his only professional bout against an opponent with no prior pro record.

Crude social media and stand-up attempts

Constantino launched a social media platform called Stimulus and attempted stand-up comedy in Manhattan, where he described a scenario involving women supporting Kamala Harris and explicit sexual acts.

“"I had the consent forms," Constantino joked.”

Self-funding his campaign with millions

Constantino has loaned his campaign 12 million dollars total, with some money going to Drake Ventures, a Florida LLC affiliated with convicted felon Roger Stone, and other chunks to a Sticker Mule employee arrested for stealing from a youth baseball league.

Allegations of hit men and brake lines

Constantino alleged that Conservative Party head Gerard Kassar threatened to kill him and suggested without clear evidence that Kassar was responsible for cutting his associate's brake line, prompting a defamation lawsuit.

GOP establishment backs him anyway

Local Republicans say they hate Constantino and are embarrassed by him, but the New York GOP is backing him after failing to stop him, just as the national establishment did for Trump.

“"when you talk to longtime professional Republicans" in Constantino's district, they say things "like, 'I hate that guy. I'm embarrassed by that guy.'"”

Trailing in polls but claiming victory

An August survey showed Constantino narrowly trailing Democrat Blake Gendebien, with 42 percent of likely voters viewing him very unfavorably. Constantino called it a "fake poll" and demanded the FCC reprimand the station.