Blue state CEO who put up 100 ft. pro-Trump sign to spend $2.6 million on campaign for Congress

FIRST ON FOX: Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino has officially tossed his chapeau successful the ringing to capable the vacancy near by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik's appointment to service successful the Trump administration.

The pro-Trump businessman, who installed a 100-ft. "Vote for Trump" motion successful upstate New York earlier the election, tells Fox News Digital helium volition walk $2.6 cardinal to self-fund his bid to win Stefanik erstwhile she becomes the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations successful January.

"My phones are ringing disconnected the hook with radical encouraging maine to run, who wanted maine to run," Constantino, 40, said successful an interview. "And conscionable similar President Trump was an outsider who brought a large accomplishment acceptable to politics, a large accomplishment acceptable to government, I deliberation the state needs much radical with akin backgrounds that are outsiders, that are talented people. And I hap to beryllium 1 of them." 

Stefanik presently represents New York's 21st Congressional District, which encompasses the solidly Republican North Country, a ample swath of upstate New York that includes astir of the Adirondack Mountains and Thousand Islands regions. She is expected to resign from Congress aft President-elect Trump tapped her to correspond the United States astatine the U.N.

PRO-TRUMP TECH CEO MULLING CONGRESSIONAL RUN TO FILL STEFANIK'S SEAT IDENTIFIES NEW YORK'S ‘BIGGEST PROBLEM’

Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino speaks astatine an lawsuit successful New York.  (Paul Antonelli)

"I americium honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to service successful my Cabinet arsenic U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and astute America First fighter," Trump said. 

Stefanik gladly accepted the nomination, stating, "I americium genuinely honored to gain President Trump's information to service successful his Cabinet arsenic U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. During my speech with President Trump, I shared however profoundly humbled I americium to judge his information and that I look guardant to earning the enactment of my colleagues successful the United States Senate. President Trump’s historical landslide predetermination has fixed anticipation to the American radical and is simply a reminder that brighter days are up — some astatine location and abroad." 

Her assignment sets the signifier for a peculiar predetermination to capable her spot successful the 21st legislature territory pursuing her successful re-election bid past week. Stefanik secured triumph by much than 24% of the ballot against her opponent, Paula Collins. 

Constantino filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission connected Thursday to acceptable up his run committee. Formerly a registered Democrat, helium is present 1 of respective Republicans expected to contend for the GOP nomination, a radical that could see established authorities lawmakers, section officials and different experienced politicians. What makes him basal out, successful his view, is that helium had nary volition of entering authorities until astir 3 months ago. 

TECH CEO WHO WENT VIRAL FOR PRO-TRUMP EMAIL DEFENDS CALL TO ACTION OVER ‘POLITICAL HATE’

The illuminated "Vote for Trump" motion astatine 26 Elk Street, Amsterdam, New York.  (@stickermule | Instagram)

"The champion happening astir my concern is until recently, I had nary governmental ambitions, which I deliberation makes maine a amended candidate," helium said. "I conscionable got progressive due to the fact that a slug deed President Trump, and instantly I spoke up, and I sent retired a connection to 5 cardinal customers that was a massively viral message."

A would-be assassin's bullet struck Trump successful the close receptor during a run rally successful Butler, Pennsylvania, connected July 13. The gunfire injured 2 others successful the assemblage and killed a third, unpaid firefighter Corey Comperatore. 

Constantino says helium was inspired by that horrific enactment of unit to instrumentality a basal against "anti-Trump hate" and question to unify the country. He worked "around the clock" to enactment Trump's White House campaign, formed a governmental enactment committee and defeated section Democratic officials who had sued to region his $125,000 pro-Trump motion connected the repurposed Fownes mitt mill gathering successful Amsterdam.

"President Trump has truly done large things. He's a large human. He's done large things for the world. And helium doesn't merit each the hatred directed astatine him, and his supporters don't merit it either," Constantino antecedently told Fox News Digital. 

BLUE STATE CEO SUED OVER PRO-TRUMP SIGN NETS ‘EPIC WIN FOR FREE SPEECH’

Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino speaks astatine an lawsuit unveiling his 100-ft. wide "Vote for Trump" motion successful Amsterdam, New York (Paul Antonelli)

Now that Trump has won successful a historical victory, Constantino believes the anti-Trump fervor that consumed fractional of the state earlier the predetermination is dying down. And with a tendency to "do large things" and marque an impact, helium is eyeing a spot successful Congress. 

"I similar to beryllium impactful. I similar to bash large things. And close now, this is astir apt the biggest, astir impactful happening I tin bash with my life," helium said. 

If elected, Constantino said his priorities would beryllium to enactment businesses and assistance marque New York a happier spot to live.

"The biggest occupation successful New York is radical are leaving, and we've got to bring vigor and enthusiasm backmost to New York. And we've got to amusement America that New York is harmless for radical from each parties, Democrats and Republicans alike," helium said. 

There volition not beryllium a accepted Republican superior for the peculiar election. Instead, some the GOP and Democratic nominees volition beryllium chosen by enactment chairs successful the district. It's a process that could vantage governmental insiders – different candidates floated for the presumption see ousted Rep. Marc Molinaro, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, authorities Sens. Dan Stec and Jake Ashby and Assembly Members Chris Tague and Robert Smullen, according to City & State New York. 

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But Constantino enters the fray arsenic a affluent self-made antheral and favourite of the online MAGA question acknowledgment to his viral pro-Trump sign. He plans to conscionable with the GOP chairs successful his territory to sermon however helium tin money his candidacy without relying connected enactment resources. He besides hopes to gain Stefanik's enactment arsenic she is apt to play kingmaker erstwhile it comes to her successor. 

"I'm going to beryllium backing my ain campaign. I don't privation to beryllium a drain connected the party," Constantino told Fox News Digital. "I privation radical to cognize that I won't beryllium beholden to immoderate peculiar interests. I'm doing this for the close reasons. I volition ever bash what I deliberation is right, what I deliberation is ethically right, morally close and what's champion for people." 

Fox News Digital's Bailee Hill contributed to this report.