Since winning the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump has drafted a significant number of current lawmakers to help fill key roles in his administration, paving the way for vacancies and upheaval within the congressional ranks.

One House seat that is poised to empty in the near future is that of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), tapped by Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and Democrats in her home state just chose a somewhat controversial candidate to vie for the spot, as the New York Post reports.

Democrats make their choice

Though the precise date of the anticipated special election to replace Stefanik in the House has yet to be determined, Democrats in New York's 21^st Congressional District have already tapped Blake Gendebien to battle for the spot, as local NBC affiliate station WPTZ reports.

Notable for his lack of prior political experience, Gendebein has also made headlines for past comments critical of the upstate New York constituents he now seeks to represent.

Currently a co-owner of Ogdensburg's Twin Mills Farms, Gendebein once declared that people living in the area were too work-shy and riddled with alcoholism to compete with the Hispanic immigrants employed at his business.

The interview in question was conducted back in 2013 and was purportedly intended to offer a window into rural American life, and in it, Gendebein stated that Hispanic workers at the farm frequently put in 12 hours per day, “six and a half a week.”

Gendebein elaborated on the situation, noting, “Three Hispanic employees. They would need to be replaced by probably six local people” and adding, “It's hard to find one local person that doesn't have domestic abuse problems, alcohol problems, wage garnishments.”

Reactions pour in

Given Gendebein's status as a political novice, the Democratic Party's decision to put him forward as a candidate for Stefanik's seat has drawn significant reactions, both good and bad.

One of those weighing in on the news was Rob Seyb of Skidmore College's political science department, who observed, “This is different because a complete outsider here has no campaign experience as well as no governing experience, but in the current political environment when the electorate seems to have an appetite for outsiders or insurgents, this seems like a pretty logical choice.”

Brandi Lloyd, chair of the Clinton County Democratic Committee offered an optimistic take, saying, “He's going to really unite us across the aisles. I think he's going to have everyone turn out and vote for him.”

Seyb did note, however, that it may be necessary for Gendebein to make extra efforts to connect with voters, asserting that a sort of “listening tour” might be a good way for him to gain name recognition and make connections with potential future constituents.

Such an initiative would also give voters a chance to ask about Gendebein's past decision to bail out -- to the tune of $10,000 -- one of his workers who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency he said tends to “profile” individuals based on “skin color,” staking out a position that may prove out of step with the current political climate in which President Donald Trump's hardline immigration stance enjoys strong support.

Election date uncertain

Though Stefanik has yet to resign her House seat, such a move is expected in the near future, and typically, a special election would need to be held within the 90 days that followed, but Democrats in Albany recently introduced a bill that would permit Gov. Kathy Hochul to postpone the contest until November, as Spectrum News explained.

Though Democrats claim that the measure is one designed simply to foster economies, efficiency, and greater voter turnout, Republicans have cried foul, arguing that the move is meant to keep the current GOP majority in the U.S. House as small as possible for as long as possible, but precisely when Stefanik will step aside and how the debate in the state legislature will shake out, only time will tell.