North Country congresswoman Elise Stefanik won her second term by a comfortable margin just a few months ago. But the Republican already has a Democratic challenger.

Patrick Nelson, a long-time activist and Democratic-party staff-member from the town of Stillwater, in Saratoga County, said he’s running for the 21st district seat. His bid has already drawn a fierce attack from the left, with Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello on Facebook describing Nelson as a Democratic party "insider" who is only "pretending" to run for congress.

Brian Mann spoke with Nelson about his reason for entering the race so early and about the criticism he's received from Funiciello.

The dust has barely settled from the last race...

[image2]Brian Mann: Why announce so early? This seems like a really early time to throw your hat in.

Patrick Nelson: A lot of the major action is going to be happening over these next 100 days. A lot of people don't know me. I thought being involved in the conversation at this stage, having an opportunity to speak on those issues - I wanted to demonstrate to the people I hope will vote for me how I would behave in office in the situation, what my values were going to be, how I might vote on legislation. We're trying to build a capacity for grassroots fundraising so that we're not dependent on big money donors. We can do this in sort of Bernie Sanders fashion.

BM: In this last election cycle, Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro) did very well. How do you see her being vulnerable?

: I'm not sure it's about that. Our political system is woefully incapable of handling the big decisions we have to make right now. We have to be serious adults and deal with the fact that we need to transform our energy system as rapidly as possible to mitigate some of the major risks of climate change. I don't see us prepared to deal with the massive economic shift of artificial intelligence and automation. We just had an Oxford study out. We're looking at potentially 47% job loss by 2030. We need to start having these conversations now about these very real issues.

BM: As you work to take part in that conversation, do you also see yourself being really competitive?

PN: I wouldn't run if I didn't think I couldn't win. Bernie Sanders sort of laid the model here. If you tell the truth and you're willing to fight for working families, people will support you.

Taking fire from the left

: There is of course Matt Funiciello (Green-Glens Falls) running a fairly aggressive third party campaign. He has already attacked your candidacy on-line. What are you going to do about that?

PN: He doesn't speak for every Green Party voter and doesn't speak for the Green Party. We're taking the attitude of not feeding the troll. He can attack all he wants and make these conspiracy theories. I'm just a young guy from Stillwater trying to make the world a better place the best way I know how. It's not a liberal conspiracy.

BM: What do you think within the Democratic Party itself. Do you think there will be a primary?

PN: I hope there's a primary. I think primaries are healthy. It's a good part of the process. Elise Stefanik came through a primary and I think she benefited from that. I hope we're able to put the ideas out and discuss the real issues that affect people and through that debate come out with a better candidate to take on Elise Stefanik.

Nelson worked previously for the campaigns of Democrats Aaron Woolf and Mike Derrick. While he lives and runs for office from his home in Stillwater, Nelson is also commuting to Albany where he works on the staff of Democratic Assemblyman Phil Steck from Schenectady.

Meanwhile Funiciello, with the Green Party, told the Adirondack Daily Enterprise that he's not sure whether he will run again in 2018. But Funiciello expects there to be a Green candidate and possibly a Green Party primary race.