Anthony Constantino, a Republican candidate poised to win a New York House seat, used his victory speech to call on President Donald Trump to "free Diddy." Constantino, leading his opponent by a narrow margin with over 95 percent of the vote tallied, made the plea in reference to Sean "Diddy" Combs, who is currently serving a 50-month federal prison sentence.
Constantino, who has loaned himself $17 million for his campaign, stated in his speech, "I think President Trump should consider freeing Diddy. This is a historic New Yorker who did great things for New York State." Trump has previously ruled out a presidential pardon for Combs.
The district, which Trump carried by 20 points in 2024, saw a close contest between Constantino and Democrat Blake Gendebien. Constantino, the CEO of printing company Sticker Mule, spent $14.7 million of his self-funded campaign by mid-October and did not accept donations from individuals or interest groups. He received an endorsement from Trump in the primary, reportedly due to his friendship with Donald Trump Jr.
Constantino also targeted members of the media during his election night gathering. "To those of you in the evil media that aren't bad people, guess what? I got news for you. You're evil too, because you won't expose the bad ones amongst you," he declared. He then singled out a reporter from local news outlet Channel 7, instructing security to "kick him out, kick him out, get him out of here." Constantino accused the reporter of deleting two of his interviews.
Local Republican officials have criticized Constantino's behavior. Don Coon, chair of the Jefferson County Republican Committee, described Constantino's style as "Trump-esque" and "silly," suggesting he would not speak to customers in such a manner. Former congressional candidate Liz Joy also commented, stating, "Leadership requires building bridges, Constantino continues to burn them." She added that Constantino bore responsibility for a close race in a district with a significant Republican enrollment advantage, despite his substantial campaign spending.