After weeks of speculation, Republican state Sen. Dan Stec has confirmed to NBC5 that he will run for New York’s 21st Congressional District if and when the seat becomes vacant.“That’s been the dominant question in my world for about a month now. And yes, I am going to pursue it,” Stec, 55, said in an interview. The Queensbury native and Navy veteran has represented New York’s 45th Senate District since 2021, having previously served as a state assemblyman and Queensbury town supervisor.Stec, eager to bring his extensive experience to Washington, D.C., expressed his readiness for the challenge. "I’ve been very familiar with the North Country, its politics, its issues, its concerns, its priorities, its values as an elected official for 25 years now,” he said.Over the years, Stec has worked closely with outgoing Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and is a supporter of President-elect Donald Trump’s "America First" agenda. Should he be elected to Congress, Stec plans to focus on government spending, crime, and securing the U.S. border.“We’ve got a green light law that prohibits local and state law enforcement from coordinating with our federal law enforcement on the border. And that’s led to a real crisis in Clinton, Franklin, and St. Lawrence Counties. I’ve been up close and personal on those border issues for a long time,” Stec said.While it remains unclear who Stec might face if he earns the Republican nomination, he is confident in his qualifications. “I’m ready to go to work. I’m a proven quantity, very transparent, been vetted by the voters in the media for most of my adult life now, so there’s no surprises there. And again, my argument would be, who is more electable?” he said.Once Stefanik’s seat is vacated, Gov. Kathy Hochul will have 10 days to declare a special election, which must be held within three months. There will be no primary election for the major party candidates. Instead, the Republican and Democratic committee chairs from the 15 counties that make up the district will select their party’s candidates.NBC5 reached out to Stefanik’s office and the GOP committee chairs for Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties for comment on Stec’s announcement, but have not received a response yet.In addition to Stec, four other individuals have expressed interest to NBC5 in running for the expected special election next year, including Democrats Paula Collins, Steven Holden, and Rod Driscoll, as well as Republican Anthony Constantino.