PLATTSBURGH – The three candidates for the 21st Congressional District seat stayed firm on their issue positions in their final debate, which produced few, if any fireworks.

Incumbent Republican Elise Stefanik continued her support for her party’s presidential candidate, Donald Trump, despite his recent controversial remarks about women and allegations of sexual assault.

Stefanik, 32, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress when she won in 2014, said she supports Trump, reiterating her stance that, of all the candidates, he has the best chance to work with a Republican Congress.

She said she disagrees with some of the statements Trump has made and has voiced her objections.

“I will continue to speak out about them and will continue to be an independent voice,” she said.

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Corporate donors

Stefanik was joined in the debate on Monday afternoon by Democrat Mike Derrick of Peru and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello of Glens Falls.

It was hosted by Mountain Lake PBS and aired on television Monday night. It can also be viewed at mountainlake.org.

Veteran journalist Thom Hallock served as moderator.

Derrick, 53, said Stefanik is trying to win the election with big donations from corporate donors and that she is not interested in helping out the middle class. He said Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan is trying to help Stefanik buy the election by engineering campaign funding support for her from big donors.

“That ($500,000) does not come without strings attached,” Derrick said. “Don’t sell this seat to the highest bidder.”

Derrick, a 28-year U.S. Army veteran, also said Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello is not a realistic choice.

“Matt talks about the important issues, but he does not bring realistic solutions,” Derrick said.

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“Creatures of Wall Street”

Funiciello, who owns a bakery, said both Stefanik and Derrick are corporate-machine candidates and can’t be trusted to look out for the best interests of the working class.

“Elise is the highest bidder, and Mike is the second-highest bidder,” Funiciello said. “Don’t vote for the second-highest bidder, either. They are both creatures of Wall Street.”

Funiciello also said that a federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is a crime, and it needs to be doubled to $15 per hour. He chided Derrick for Democrats’ lack of support for increasing the minimum wage.

“Democrats don’t support the $15 minimum wage; they support a slave wage,” he said.

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All oppose TPP

Derrick said minimum wage hikes need to be implemented regionally, with a $15 level in the New York City area and $12.50 in the North Country.

“North Country small businesses need a transition plan so we don’t crush all the small family farms,” he said.

Stefanik said she will continue to work on improving the economy and creating more jobs.

“So a minimum wage job can be a starting point,” she said.

Stefanik also said, as she has in the past, that she does not support the controversial Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership trade deal.

“I will only support a deal that will benefit the North Country,” she said, adding that Congress also needs to be able to vote on any new trade agreements.

Derrick and Funiciello also said they do not support TPP.

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“Fracking Queen”

Funiciello called Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton the “Fracking Queen” who supports controversial hydrofracking despite potential environmental problems with the practice.

“That is called lying,” he said of Clinton’s stance on hydrofracking.

Derrick said the dairy compact establishing milk prices for Northeast farmers needs to be tailored to help farmers who are facing prices about 40 percent lower than they did two years ago.

“We don’t do enough for our apple and dairy farmers,” Derrick said.

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(Editor’s note: Four daily newspapers in the North Country – the Enterprise, Post-Star of Glens Falls, Watertown Daily Times and Press-Republican of Plattsburgh – are sharing content to better cover New York’s 21st Congressional District.)