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Democrat Dylan Hewitt has announced he is suspending his campaign for New York’s 21st Congressional District, citing financial challenges. Hewitt, a former deputy assistant United States trade representative at the White House, made the announcement in a video posted on Friday (March 27), saying, "The truth is, campaigns are expensive. They run on money and access. And in a system like ours, campaigns that challenge power are expected to run without it."
Hewitt launched his run in September 2025, focusing on issues like affordability and healthcare, but after six months, he said that continuing was no longer financially feasible. "As this quarter came to a close, the financial reality became clear, and after conversations with my family and team, I have made the difficult and painful decision to suspend my campaign for Congress," Hewitt said, as reported by NEWS10.
Federal Election Commission filings show Hewitt ended 2025 with just over $300,000 in donations, far less than fellow Democrat Blake Gendebien, who has raised more than $4 million. Gendebien, a farmer from St. Lawrence County, and Lake Placid businessman Stuart Amoriell remain in the Democratic primary race, while Republicans Anthony Constantino and Assemblyman Robert Smullen are also running for the seat, according to CBS 6 Albany.
The 21st District seat is open because Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is not seeking re-election. Candidates have until next week to submit petitions for the June primary ballot. Despite receiving an endorsement from the state Working Families Party, Hewitt confirmed he will not run as that party’s candidate in November.