VoterLens
Data last updated 10/27/2026
Christopher Schmidt is an independent candidate for U.S. House in New York's 21st Congressional District and has declared as a write-in candidate for the November 3, 2026 general election. He works as a day laborer, grew up locally, graduated from Queensbury High School, attended SUNY Adirondack, and has worked as a grassroots/community organizer in the region for more than a decade. His campaign describes him as focused on working-class issues, accountability, rural communities, jobs, infrastructure, healthcare access, and lower taxes.
Committee Assignments: No committee assignments available.
Christopher Schmidt frames healthcare as a North Country affordability and access issue, emphasizing affordable and accessible care, rural healthcare capacity, mental health and addiction resources, lower hospital and patient costs, and staffing support for clinics and emergency services.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Schmidt's campaign says residents want affordable and accessible health care as part of his working-class, North Country-focused platform.
SourceIn his Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey, Schmidt identified healthcare access as a priority, especially affordable care, rural healthcare services, and mental health and addiction resources.
SourceIn a campaign-posted announcement article, Schmidt said policymakers need to create solutions to lower hospital costs and costs for patients.
SourceIn his campaign launch statement, Schmidt listed strengthening rural healthcare, including staffing support for clinics and emergency services, as a campaign focus.
SourceChristopher Schmidt frames his Economy & Jobs agenda around working-class economic relief for NY-21, emphasizing stable jobs, lower taxes and bills, stronger infrastructure, local spending, small-business support, and rural/post-industrial workforce needs. His public materials do not identify specific federal bills, but state broad support for job creation and keeping district dollars local.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Schmidt says his campaign is focused on delivering stable jobs for residents of New York's 21st District as part of a working-class economic agenda.
SourceSchmidt states that he wants lower taxes and lower bills for NY-21 residents as part of putting more money in local families' pockets.
SourceSchmidt says he supports keeping district dollars local rather than allowing outside influence to shape Washington's approach to NY-21.
SourceIn his Ballotpedia survey, Schmidt identified economic and workforce issues, including job creation and support for small businesses, as policy priorities.
SourceSchmidt's Ballotpedia survey says he is focused on economic challenges facing rural and post-industrial communities in the district.
SourceHis campaign platform emphasizes local costs, jobs, infrastructure, healthcare, accountability, civil liberties, and rural issues, but does not appear to set out an immigration or border-security policy.
Christopher Schmidt’s Climate & Energy stance focuses on lowering utility and fuel costs rather than climate regulation, emphasizing consumer protection, transparency in energy pricing, local generation, efficiency upgrades, grid modernization, and oversight of utility companies. His public materials frame energy policy around affordability, rural reliability, fair competition, and accountability for New York energy companies.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Schmidt supports demanding transparency in energy markets, using federal and state oversight to protect families from utility abuse, and modernizing the grid to reduce costs for North Country residents.
SourceSchmidt supports a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission audit of New York energy companies to review pricing, expose anti-competitive behavior, and ensure fair energy practices.
SourceSchmidt supports local energy generation, efficiency upgrades, and grid modernization as ways to improve reliability and give residents more control over energy costs.
SourceSchmidt says his campaign will focus on lowering energy and food costs through competition, transparency, and support for local producers.
SourceIn his Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey, Schmidt identified energy and utilities, including energy costs, grid reliability, and consumer protections, as a public-policy area of personal interest.
SourceNo education-specific platform positions were found for Christopher Schmidt in the reviewed public sources. His available campaign materials and Ballotpedia survey emphasize local issues such as jobs, infrastructure, housing, healthcare access, utilities, government accountability, and rural community needs, but do not state a distinct Education position.
Christopher Schmidt frames public safety mainly through constitutional limits on military action, opposition to foreign intervention without accountability, and investment in rural emergency, mental health, and addiction resources. He emphasizes protecting rural communities while resisting open-ended or unauthorized use of force abroad.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Schmidt condemned unauthorized military escalation and argued that Congress must reclaim its authority before the United States is dragged into foreign conflicts without a vote or transparency.
SourceSchmidt opposed U.S. foreign intervention in Venezuela, warning against another endless war or occupation and saying national sovereignty and international law should not be disregarded.
SourceIn his Ballotpedia Candidate Connection responses, Schmidt identified healthcare access as a priority, specifically including affordable care, rural healthcare services, and mental health and addiction resources.
SourceSchmidt's campaign announcement said he would focus on strengthening rural healthcare, including staffing support for clinics and emergency services.
SourceSchmidt's campaign biography says he advocates for accountability, freedom, and the protection of rural communities in New York's 21st District.
SourceBallotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Christopher_Schmidt_(New_York)Fetched: biography, candidate status, campaign themes
Christopher Schmidt For Congress
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/post/washington-county-man-announces-independent-run-for-ny-21Fetched: biography, age, location, education, professional background
Christopher Schmidt For Congress
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/Fetched: biography, professional background
FEC API
https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/candidate/H6NY21231/totals/Fetched: totalRaised, totalSpent, cashOnHand
OpenSecrets search results via Ballotpedia/FEC-referenced profile
https://ballotpedia.org/Christopher_Schmidt_%28New_York%29Fetched: campaignFinance
FEC filing - Christopher Schmidt for Congress Form 99
https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/391/202602059825918391/202602059825918391.pdfFetched: campaignFinance
Sway
https://www.sway.co/race/u-s-house-of-representatives-new-york-21st-congressional-b266ba0b-7f3d-42ef-8e3a-cdcd09e2626cFetched: endorsements
WWNYTV
https://www.wwnytv.com/2026/06/15/schmidt-launches-write-in-campaign-21st-district-challenges-ballot-access-laws/Fetched: endorsements
Christopher Schmidt For Congress
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/post/christopher-r-schmidt-announces-independent-campaign-for-congressFetched: issuePositions
Ballotpedia - Christopher Schmidt (New York)
https://ballotpedia.org/Christopher_Schmidt_(New_York)Fetched: issuePositions
Christopher Schmidt For Congress - Platform Overview
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/copy-of-aboutFetched: issuePositions
Christopher Schmidt For Congress - Freedom, Fairness & Common Sense
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/copy-of-peace-not-endless-warsFetched: issuePositions
Christopher Schmidt For Congress - NY-21 Survey
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/copy-of-cost-of-living-economic-sec-1Fetched: issuePositions
Christopher Schmidt For Congress - Energy and Utilities
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/copy-of-infrastructure-and-rural-qualFetched: issuePositions
Change.org - Hold New York energy companies accountable with a FERC audit
https://www.change.org/p/hold-new-york-energy-companies-accountable-with-a-ferc-auditFetched: issuePositions
Christopher Schmidt For Congress - Home
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/Fetched: issuePositions
Christopher Schmidt For Congress - Campaign announcement
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/post/christopher-r-schmidt-announces-independent-campaign-for-congressFetched: issuePositions
Smarter.Vote - NY-21 House candidates 2026 comparison
https://smarter.vote/races/ny-house-21-2026/compare/Fetched: issuePositions
Christopher Schmidt For Congress
https://www.schmidtforthenorthcountry.com/post/christopher-schmidt-condemns-foreign-intervention-calls-for-constitutional-accountabilityFetched: issuePositions