LAKE PLACID — From a podium on the bed of a pickup truck at John Brown Farm, Stuart Amoriell announced his candidacy for New York’s 21st Congressional District to a crowd of supporters on Wednesday.

The owner of the Pickled Pig restaurant gave a passionate, wide-ranging speech covering many political topics, focused on American “greatness.” He said America has fallen short of its promise of greatness, and that greatness does not need to be restored, but remembered.

Amoriell will run on the Democratic line. There are currently three other Democrats vying for the seat, which U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is expected to vacate as she runs for governor of New York next November — Blake Gendebien, Dylan Hewitt and Maylon Haller. The Republican party features Assemblyman Robert Smullen and Anthony Constantino, who are running to keep Stefanik’s seat as a GOP one.

This sets up expected primary elections for both major parties next June.

“The measure of our greatness is not in our GDP or stock market, or in the missiles in our silos, or the number of foreigners we expel from our land or the square footage of a gilded ballroom in Washington D.C.,” Amoriell said. “The source of our greatness is those American ideals that have for generations inspired and served as an example for all those seeking freedom and justice at home and around the world.

“We will no longer permit those who seek to destroy America’s ideals to do so under the guise of greatness,” he added.

Amoriell has not run for office before. He had thought about it for a while, though.

One day, he was hearing a news story about Venezuelan immigrants, some of whom came to the U.S. legally and had no criminal record, being deported to a violent mega-prison in El Salvador because the government said they were affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. He felt angry that these people were denied due process.

“A switch flipped and I said ‘You know what? Enough. Let’s get involved,'” Amoriell said.

A good portion of his platform revolved around installing a more just and compassionate immigration policy. He said the government needs to enforce its existing rules and laws, but that recently, enforcement seems designed to harm and humiliate. When law-abiding, hard-working people are removed from the country, he said that should be done with sorrow and tears, not celebration and laughter.

He said while everyone may not agree on immigration policies and directions, they should recognize the strength and courage immigrants show in their pursuit of the American dream.

Strength is not cruelty, he said, it is the mother who goes to work under the fear of being unjustly imprisoned, or the millions who apply in good faith for a better life.

If elected, he said he’d like to reaffirm the commitment to DACA, which protects undocumented children from deportation.

He felt John Brown Farm was a fitting location for his announcement, saying he is inspired by Brown’s abolitionist fight which contributed to the end of slavery in America.

“The plight of the dispossessed, the fear of those forgotten by the rule of law, by those betrayed by our failure to uphold American ideals, (Brown) tells us that their shackles are our shackles and that their fight for freedom and justice must be our fight as well,” Amoriell said.

It’s not enough to sit at home and be disheartened, he said. He believes if someone cares, they have to do something — whether that is running for office, working for nonprofits or volunteering.

“We either have to do something and try to fix it or give up,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want to give up.

“We are an unfinished nation,” Amoriell said.

The goal is to become better every day, he said.

But that cannot happen if the country is divided, he said; everyone has to do a better job of learning to speak to people they disagree with. Compromise and differences are inherent to our nation, he said, adding that people can disagree, but with respect.

“We must cease viewing those with whom we disagree as the enemy, assigning them labels like fascist, socialist, racist, unintelligent, lazy, un-American or traitor,” Amoriell said. “Nicknames and name-calling as a way of belittling and demeaning our political opponents is beneath us, and our nation’s promise to greatness demands better from all of us.

“It isn’t easy to listen to those with whom we strongly disagree,” he added.

Amoriell said he rejects the premise that the Democrats don’t believe in self-reliance and personal responsibility. He said they do, but with a “fundamental difference” — they refuse to let families go hungry when they fall short of achieving these goals.

“This is what greatness demands,” he said.

Children should not go to bed hungry and seniors should have access to affordable and accessible health care, housing and transportation, he said.

He added that Congress should not allow the Affordable Care Act tax credits to expire, and that it should renew health insurance subsidies.

Amoriell spoke about the affordable housing crisis, improving infrastructure, protecting the environment by investing in renewable energy and getting “fair wages for all.”

He said the nation has broken its promise for educating the next generation for decades. That requires a serious investment, he said.

On the military, he promised to have “unwavering support” for troops, saying they should have competitive pay. He said the government should hold its military leaders to the highest standards and make sure they respect the rules of engagement. He’d want to rebuild America’s relationship with NATO, so any adversaries know they are coming against the most powerful fighting force in history and the entire international community.

As a business owner, Amoriell said he sees what affects the community, businesses and his employees.

The NY-21 race will take place on Nov. 3, the same day as the gubernatorial race.