Food has played a surprisingly prominent part in Matt Castelli’s campaign for Congress. Castelli, a Democrat who grew up in the Hudson Valley and now lives in Glens Falls, has been posting videos of himself on social media eating at local delis, cafes and diners around the North Country.

Usually, he’s biting into a hamburger, which Castelli says is his favorite meal.

“I’ve often found that, as we travel throughout the district, people don’t necessarily know who I am or what my party affiliation may be, but they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, I saw that guy, he’s the burger guy!'”

On Aug. 1, Castelli had a big omelet in front of him. He was at a campaign stop in the Warren County town of Chestertown, speaking with voters about why he thinks he can beat his Democratic primary opponent, Matt Putorti, and then go on to challenge Republican Elise Stefanik, who has been in Congress since 2015.

“We’re here in Chestertown and I decided to get the Chester omelet,” says Castelli, sitting at a table inside the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor, which is really more like a diner. “There’s some sausage in here, some potatoes, maybe some veggies. We try to balance it out a little bit.”

That stop on Aug. 1 was just one of four campaign stops on his five-day tour of all 15 counties in New York’s 21st Congressional district. He was sitting with three voters from the area.

“I’d be interested to hear what some of your top-of-mind issues are right now for the country, our community, your family,” Castelli says to the group.

Carolyn Cyr, a Democrat from the Town of Thurman, answered first. “I think my overall concern — I have a tie between climate change and concern for our democracy,” says Cyr, a retired school teacher.

Rick Morse, who drove here from Johnsburg and is also a Democrat, agreed with Cyr. Morse says he’s fed up with Stefanik’s embrace of former President Donald Trump. She’s amplified his election lies and has become more radical, says Morse, which he thinks should convince more folks in the middle to support someone like Castelli.

“I think there’s a lot of room for a moderate candidate to pick up a lot of the votes of people who would rather not vote for a radical right-wing Republican.”

That’s how these voters characterize North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Castelli sees her that way, too. He’s selling himself as a moderate, trying to appeal to people turned off by Stefanik’s embrace of the far right.

Castelli’s campaign slogan is “Country before Party.” He joined the CIA after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also worked as the Director for Counterterrorism under former President Obama and for one year under former President Trump.

It was another attack on U.S. soil that inspired his run for Congress — the Jan. 6 insurrection.

“To see an attack against our country, that kind of attacks I helped prevent in foreign capitals — to see it in our own didn’t sit well with me,” says Castelli, “but what really drove me to jump into this race was the response from Congresswoman Stefanik in the aftermath of that attack and the run-up to — how I think she turned her back on our democracy.”

Castelli is hoping that some Republicans feel that way, too. The 21st Congressional District was redrawn this year and it’s now more Republican than it was in the past.

Stefanik has also gained notoriety and power since the last election. She’s now the third-ranking Republican in the House. But Castelli says he sees a path forward for his campaign.

“I’ve been sitting with Republicans, talking with Republicans. We’re doing that right now and they’re coming on board to our campaign because they’re interested in our message which is: let’s push back against this divisiveness, let’s push back against the extremism that we’re seeing, and return to the middle.”

The middle for Castelli means being pro-police and pro-choice, extending the child tax credit and supporting the Second Amendment.

Gun control is one issue that he and his primary opponent, Matt Putorti, differ on. Putorti supports an assault weapons ban. When asked if he supports a ban on assault-style guns, Castelli is more ambiguous.

“I am happy to look at any kind of legislation. I think we need, those of us who support the Second Amendment and lawful gun owners, at the table when we’re talking about reducing gun violence in our communities and I think the best way we do that is really focusing on any firearm being kept out of the hands of someone who is going to do themselves and others harm.”

It’s not clear if this kind of moderate approach will move the needle much in the North Country.

Stefanik has won every election here by a double-digit margin. The largest margin was in 2016, when Stefanik won by 35%. In the latest election just two years ago, Stefanik defeated Democrat Tedra Cobb by nearly 18%.

Castelli does appear to at least be a strong candidate in the primary. He’s been endorsed by nearly every Democratic county committee in the district.

He’s also raised more than $1 million, out fundraising Matt Putorti. And Castelli has secured a spot on the independent Moderate Party line. That ensures that he’s on the ballot this November. But right now, he says he’s focused on the primary.

“I feel very, very confident that I will win this primary. That confidence is not arrogance. That confidence is born out of my belief in the hard work that we have been doing and will continue to do to earn the support of every Democrat voter here in this Democratic primary.”

Early voting in New York begins on Aug. 13 and the primary for the U.S. House and State Senate is on Aug. 23.