Meet Robert

Trump Appointed

Battle Tested

Upstate First

Robert Smullen is a retired Marine Corps Colonel, conservative reformer, and trusted public servant proudly representing New York’s 118th Assembly District. A native Upstate New Yorker and graduate of The Citadel, Robert has spent his life fighting for freedom – on the battlefield, in the halls of government, and right here at home.


For 24 years, Robert served our country in the United States Marine Corps, deploying around the world and leading troops in combat, including three tours in Afghanistan. He provided leadership to Marines in some of the most dangerous environments on earth and rose to the rank of Colonel. At the Pentagon, he helped shape national defense strategy. 


Robert’s leadership and public service have been recognized at the highest levels. He was appointed a White House Fellow under President George W. Bush, serving at the U.S. Department of Energy on critical energy policy. In 2018, President Donald J. Trump appointed Robert to the President’s Commission on White House Fellows, one of the nation’s most prestigious leadership advisory boards.

In 2019, Robert brought that same mission-focused leadership to Albany. Since then, he’s been a tireless voice for Upstate values – standing up to one-party rule, fighting for our constitutional rights, defending law enforcement, and pushing back on the radical agenda hurting working families. He’s been re-elected three times and continues to deliver results for the Mohawk Valley, North Country and the Adirondacks.


Robert serves as Chairman of the Republican Conference, was elected Chair of the Assembly Republican Review Committee by his peers, and is Co-Chair of the Assembly Sports Caucus. He’s the author of the Assembly Republican Rural Initiative and serves as a National Board Member for the American Legislative Exchange Council. He’s one of the most respected conservative leaders in Albany – and he’s just getting started.


Robert lives in Fulton County with his wife and children on their farm. He’s running to take our fight to the next level – to lower our taxes, defend our freedoms, rebuild our economy, and always put Upstate First.