Jim Mazzotte stands with his 1947 truck, decked out in Republican signs and flags outside a Saranac Lake Republican rally in Riverside Park on Saturday.
(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)
SARANAC LAKE — Around 100 supporters gathered in Riverside Park on Saturday to hear from a slate of Republican candidates running for offices in the Nov. 8 election. The event also attracted over 50 people opposed to the GOP politicians; they stood across River Street with signs and slogans.
The local, state and federal candidates each gave a speech and told the crowd to vote for the other speakers. Though New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin was not at the event, his campaign was promoted by most speakers as a beacon of hope for Republicans in New York.
The candidates were running for different offices, but there were clear themes throughout their speeches. They said people are suffering under single-party Democratic rule — Democrats have majorities in the House and federal Senate, as well as the state Senate and Assembly — and that to “save America,” Democrat politicians must be replaced by Republicans.
The coronavirus pandemic also played a part in several speeches, with opposition to vaccine and mask mandates being major talking points.
For some attendees and speakers, there was little to no middle-ground in American politics, but they said that is solely the Democrats’ fault, having gone too far left.
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, left, pets a dog held by a supporter at a Saranac Lake Republican rally in Riverside Park on Saturday. Stefanik jokingly asked if she has the dog’s vote. The man told her only Democrat dogs vote, a joke referencing the Republican allegation that Democrats rig elections by faking voters.
(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)
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Rally-goers
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Republican supporters were decked out in GOP and Make American Great Again hats, shirts, stickers and signs. They seemed confident in big wins for Republicans in the Nov. 8 election.
Some were asked what they hope a “red wave” would bring.
Emily Hirsch-Steinberg, left, and Erick Steinberg, from Jay, hold signs protesting U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik outside a Saranac Lake Republican rally in Riverside Park on Saturday with their “niece” dog named Zoe, who had a poster on her back reading “Dogs against Elise!”
(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)
“Get rid of the Democrats,” Karla Nason said. “Take that bench,” she added, pointing to a recently painted, multi-colored bench at the corner of the park.
“Save our kids,” Hugh Law said.
Law said Democrats don’t see the issues and that he believes the country has gotten worse since Joe Biden became president.
Nason said a GOP majority in Congress is the last hope for “common sense” in the nation.
Law said he wants Republicans to change the “radical policies” they’re getting “thrown in our faces,” citing COVID-vaccination requirements, the U.S. not drilling for enough oil in his view and state restrictions on where guns can be carried.
Attendees at a Saranac Lake Republican rally in Riverside Park on Saturday raise their hands when U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik asks if any of them have had their constitutional rights infringed.
(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)
Law said he hunts, and while the gun laws haven’t stopped him from hunting as usual or changed the way he hunts, he said the Battle of Plattsburgh reenactment did not happen this year.
Ken Cassler said he’s traveled with the Navy and seen other countries. He said Americans are lucky to have freedom of choice and a high standard of living. But he thinks Democrats are taking the country on a dark path. He said younger people have a different view of what America can be, which he disagrees with.
He said he would would vote for a Democrat, but he disagrees on their leadership — things like bail reform or forgiving student loan debt. Cassler said he paid for everything he’s got.
Jim Mazzotte said he is a registered Democrat. He was at the rally with his 1947 truck decked out with signs to support Republicans. Mazzotte said he’s been voting for Republicans for several years now.
“Trump changed me,” Mazzotte said. “He’s a very convincing person.”
He said he likes that former President Donald Trump didn’t often read prepared statements and claims he never read from a teleprompter.
“Zeldin and Elise. If we can get them to win in New York state, I think New York state’s going to come around,” Mazzotte said. “If not, I think we’re going to be in trouble. … Hochul, she’s being controlled by the far left. If she was just being a true Democrat she wouldn’t have a problem.”
He said Hochul is controlled by far-leftists in New York City who want chaos in the country for reasons unknown to him. Mazzotte said he sees chaos everywhere but his small town.
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Protestors
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Jeri Zempel, of Keene, was at the rally with a sign reading, “Please please Elise debate.” Zempel said she’s voted in NY-21 for 30 years and was insulted that Stefanik has not agreed to a debate this cycle. She was asked to leave and escorted out by campaign staffers.
Saranac Lake resident David Lynch said he heard notes of “Christian nationalism” at the rally, which he said concerns him in what is supposed to be a secular country.
“We are out here protesting against Elise because we hate her,” Erick Steinberg, from Jay, said.
He said his group opposed her votes on reproductive rights, her support of the “Big Lie” that Trump won the 2020 election, her votes against the environment and her echoing of the racist conspiracy “Great Replacement Theory” which claims white people are being replaced by immigrants of color, and which has been promoted by white supremacist terrorists in deadly attacks.
“It’s just total identity politics,” Steinberg said. “I didn’t hear anything that related to Saranac Lake.”
“The fact that they brought up the southern border issue is insane. How does that effect the people of the Adirondacks?” Emily Hirsch-Steinberg said. “It’s just a dog whistle for racists.”
Hirsch-Steinberg said they were protesting the rally, hoping to change moderates’ votes to Democratic candidates and to show there is opposition to Stefanik.
They said this protest was organized last-minute and they were surprised by the turnout they got, comparing it to the turnout in the park, which Lynch alleged was “low energy.” It was hard at times to tell if cars driving by were honking in support of or against either the rally or the protestors.
Editor’s note: In the coming days, the Enterprise will publish stories on more of what Stefanik told reporters at the rally, as well as quotes from a recent editorial board interview she did with several North Country newspapers.