By Hans Wilder | The Watertown Post
The race for New York’s 21st Congressional District has officially entered territory most congressional campaigns never reach.
It has its own video game.
District 21: The Final Bell is now live in the TRUMP.one arcade, turning Republican Anthony Constantino and Democrat Blake Gendebien into a pair of old-school, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em-style political prizefighters battling it out for NY-21.
And yes, I just played it.
It’s awesome.
Constantino and Gendebien became their parties’ nominees after winning their respective June 23 primaries, setting up the November 3 general-election contest for the open NY-21 congressional seat. Constantino defeated Robert Smullen in the Republican primary, while Gendebien defeated Stuart Amoriell on the Democratic side.
Now the campaign has gone from television commercials, Facebook posts, interviews and campaign stops to something considerably more entertaining.
Two candidates.
Two mechanical fighters.
One congressional district.
DING DING.
The new TRUMP.one game takes the political fight people across Northern New York have been watching for months and turns it into an old-fashioned arcade showdown. Forget another 30-second political commercial telling you civilization will collapse if the other guy wins. Now you can settle things the civilized way: repeatedly smash two giant mechanical politicians into each other until somebody’s head pops up.
Finally, progress.
The real race has certainly attracted plenty of attention. The contest is for the seat representing New York’s sprawling 21st District, covering much of the North Country and Adirondacks, including all or portions of Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Franklin, Essex and numerous other counties.
And now it has crossed into political pop culture.
District 21: The Final Bell gives people outside the district a considerably more entertaining introduction to the Constantino-Gendebien contest than reading another 2,000-word campaign press release.
The game is not a poll. It is not an election forecast. And unless the New York State Board of Elections has dramatically changed its procedures, repeatedly punching the other candidate in an online arcade game will not be counted on November 3.
But it is fun.
And for a congressional race taking place way up here in Northern New York, getting turned into a full-blown arcade game on TRUMP.one is certainly one more sign that this little political fight isn’t staying confined to lawn signs along Route 11.
Congratulations, District 21.
You’ve officially made the arcade.
Play District 21: The Final Bell now at TRUMP.one.
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