The three candidates to represent New York's 21st Congressional District are incumbent U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican who calls Willsboro home; Lynn Kahn of Schroon Lake, running on the Green Party line; and Tedra Cobb, a Democrat from Canton. (Photos provided)

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik’s votes on health care and the federal money to education likely cost her the endorsement of the New York State United Teachers.

Last week, Democratic NY-21 candidate Tedra Cobb picked up the endorsement of the union after Stefanik, R-Willsboro, had secured it in 2016.

The teachers union spokesman, Carl Korn, explained that the union brought in nearly 500 activists, including local union presidents and members of political action committees from across the state, to discuss all candidates on three main criteria: accessibility, advocacy and voting record.

Korn said Stefanik casts votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act and for a budget bill that contained deep cuts to education and health care spending.

In addition, candidates are evaluated on their accessibility, which includes their willingness to meet with union officials to discuss issues and advocacy, including attending rallies and speaking out for public education and labor issues.

Stefanik did not score well on those two criteria either, according to Korn.

“Members in the North Country were effusive in their praise for Tedra Cobb. They talked about how she has been around, standing up and offering to help, making herself available and willing to advocate on issues important to educators,” he said. “And conversely, people in the room expressed disappointment in Congresswoman Stefanik’s responsiveness and willingness to meet with them.”

Cobb said on Twitter she was humbled to receive the union’s backing.

“Our teachers and support professionals need a dedicated ally in Congress to ensure workplace protections and professional development,” she wrote. “Organized labor is the backbone of our workforce and for 46 years NYSUT has been working hard to support our amazing teachers and support staff.”

The union endorses both Democrats and Republicans. Also picking up its endorsements were Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake.

NYSUT, which has more than 600,000 members, does not make endorsements in all races. Korn said in some cases there are open seats and neither candidate has a track record. In other instances, there was no consensus from members about one candidate or another.

The union withheld endorsements from state Senate candidates who voted in favor of Senate Bill 8992, which would have made changes to the teacher evaluation system in exchange for increasing the cap on the number of charter schools from 460 to 560.

Korn described it as a “poison pill” that benefited the charter school industry at the expense of students and teachers.

Sen. Elizabeth Little voted in favor of the bill.

The union was pushing for Assembly Bill 8301, which would have permanently barred the use of student test scores in teacher evaluations but did not raise the charter cap. Korn said senators expressed support for this bill, but then the leadership introduced S8992.

“Our members believe that their senators paid them lip service,” Korn said.

Neither of the bills passed both chambers.

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Stefanik releases new TV ad

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The Stefanik campaign is continuing to capitalize on a video of Cobb being recorded at a Teens for Tedra event, where Cobb said she supports an assault weapons ban but cannot take that position publicly because she would not win.

The ad, called “Clear Choice,” contains a still image from the video recorded at a house party back in May. A voiceover narrator says Cobb voted for taxing candy, water and gas while in the St. Lawrence County Legislature.

The narrator then says: “When Taxin’ Tedra was secretly caught supporting banning guns, she confessed that admitting that in public would destroy her campaign.”

He concludes: “If we can’t trust Tedra Cobb the candidate, how can we ever trust her in Congress?”

The ad then shifts from the ominous music to a lighter piano melody and the narrator says that Stefanik has a “record of transparency” and “has never voted for a tax increase.”

Cobb sent out a tweet in response to the ad, saying: “Slick TV ads are an effort to deceive the voters about @RepStefanik’s voting record: Stefanik joined congressional Republicans and voted to kick 64,000 Northern New Yorkers off their health care coverage, to close rural hospitals and exclude people with pre-existing conditions.”

The advertisement will be on broadcast, cable and digital outlets.