Continuing our series of interviews with all four candidates running for Elise Stefanik’s open seat, here are the details of a recent chat I had with Republican Robert Smullen, who faces off against Anthony Constantino (see separate story) on June 23, edited for space and clarity:
Q: Tell me about your yourself and your time in the Marines.
Smullen: I grew up in Gloversville, New York. Graduated from Gloversville High School in 1986. I went to the Citadel, took Naval ROTC. That’s how I joined the Marine Corps. Ended up doing 24 years, six deployments.
I got married in 1997. My wife Megan and I met when I was doing military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. We had four deployments and four children.
Three of those deployments were combat tours to Afghanistan. The fourth tour was an operational tour. I was on 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Special Operations Capable. We were in the Persian Gulf doing a normal presence control there. Maritime interdiction operations. The stuff in the Straits of Hormuz right now. We practiced all that stuff. Amphibious raids, gas and oil platform seizures, maritime interdiction operations. I got a picture of myself sliding down a rope onto a moving ship to prevent oil smuggling.
That stuff’s been going on for years. This is nothing new. It’s just publicized now. They’ve been at war with us for 47 years and we finally said enough. It was a long time coming. We can’t let them have nuclear weapons. The Iranians should not have nuclear weapons. They will either attack Israel or they will attack us, particularly with the ICBM technology they developed. It’s quite serious.
I was a White House fellow for George W. Bush in 2003, 2004. I worked at the U.S. Department of Energy. I worked very closely with the people that do non-proliferation, defense nuclear non-proliferation. It’s quite serious. They must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.
Q: Do you wish that maybe the government were better at explaining what you just explained?
Smullen: The Iranians are sworn enemies of Israel. They call us the Great Satan. They have been fighting with us for 47 years. They blew up the marine barracks in Beirut. They were responsible for hundreds of Americans’ deaths in Iraq through their Shia militias. They’re responsible for Hezbollah that rockets Israel. They’re responsible for the Houthis harassing maritime commerce in the Red Sea.
I’ve transited the Straits of Hormuz four times in combat conditions. They should not be able to hold the world’s oil supply hostage. That’s not just an opinion. It’s freedom of navigation. Even though we don’t use that oil, it causes our oil prices to rise.
Q: It seems like people just aren’t aware of what’s happening with this war. During Iraq and early Afghanistan there were daily briefings that seemed more transparent than operations now.
Smullen: After September 11th we were the first Marine Corps unit into Afghanistan. We did the air assault at forward operating base Rhino. We kicked the Taliban out of Helmand and Kandahar provinces. Our task force seized Kandahar Airport. We planned a mission to close the mountain passes in Tora Bora to keep Osama bin Laden from exfiltrating into Pakistan. We never executed the mission. It could have ended right there in December of 2001. It took a decade.
Q: Talk about your DC connections, as that’s a huge part of being an effective congressperson.
Smullen: I like to say I am not from Washington, D.C., but I know how Washington, D.C. works. I did military strategy at the Pentagon. I worked at the White House. I served in the last Trump administration on the President’s Commission on the White House Fellows. One of my fellow commissioners was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kane. I’ve known him for 20 years.
But I’ve lived here in upstate New York, a mile from where I grew up in the village of Meco for the last 10 years since I got out of the Marine Corps.
Q: How long have you been in the Assembly?
Smullen: This is my eighth session. I was first elected in 2019, and then re-elected in 2020, 2022, and 2024, all three times unopposed.
I’m the chairman of the Assembly Republican Conference. I’m the co-chair of the New York State Sports Caucus. I’m a member of the Environmental Conservation Committee. I know the Adirondacks and the hunting, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling.
Q: This district is massive. How do you expect to reach everyone to get the vote out, considering your opponent has more money?
Smullen: I visited all 15 counties. I represent five of them in the Assembly. I used to represent St. Lawrence County before redistricting. I was the executive director of the Hudson River Black River Regulating District. I know county leaders.
It’s a 10-hour trip around the entire district.
When I go to vote in the Assembly, I vote what I think the vast majority of the people in the district would want me to vote. That’s why I’ve been unopposed. I got over 50,000 votes in 2024. I’m the highest vote-getter in those counties.
Q: How would you describe your legislative successes?
Smullen: Education is a real passion of mine. I was the first person in my immediate family to go to college. I got four master’s degrees. Georgetown University, National Intelligence University, Marine Corps University, National Defense University. I was a distinguished graduate of the Eisenhower School.
I value education. I’ve been looking after SUNY and CUNY for the last eight years.
Q: So I see you as more of a policy person.
Smullen: I’m a servant leader. My grandfather was the founding chief of the Meco Volunteer Fire Company. My dad joined in 1953. He’s still a member today at 91 years old. I’m all about my community. I’m all about taking care of people, veterans in particular.
I am a conservative Republican. I’m the only conservative Republican in the race.
My opponent was registered as a Democrat in 2018. He re-registered as a Democrat in 2022. He only registered as a Republican after Trump was elected for the second time because he wants to run for Congress.
I was appointed by President Trump. I’m the only lifelong Republican in the race. I voted absentee from overseas.
Q: Were you disappointed with the Trump endorsement of your opponent?
Smullen: I wasn’t surprised. My opponent has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on political consultants, one of whom is very close to the president.
Q: This primary can be messy, considering with minor party lines, you both could still be on the ballot this fall.
Smullen: I’m on the Conservative Party line. I will be on the ballot in November. I believe I’m going to win the primary in June.
Q: How do you get people out to vote?
Smullen: We have a county-by-county strategy. We got almost 10,000 petition signatures, all volunteers. We didn’t pay for signatures. This is real people on the ground knocking on doors.
I’ve worked with local elected officials closely. I’m the author of the Republican Rural Initiative—bills for broadband, telemedicine, economic development. I’ve been deeply involved for eight years. I’m going to take that to Washington, D.C.
I believe I’m the best candidate for this job.
The primary is June 23, with Early Voting starting June 13. Contact your county BOE with questions.
