STAR LAKE – A Fulton County Marine veteran, retired Col. Robert Smullen, has announced his candidacy for the 118th New York Assembly seat being vacated by Assemblyman Marc Butler, R-Newport.

Smullen, a Republican, made several stops in his announcement tour, including the Star Lake American Legion.

Smullen says he is a lifelong resident of Fulton County and New York State and has dedicated his career to public service and leadership.

Prior to his announcement, Smullen was the executive director of the Hudson River Black River Regulating District, an environmental public benefit corporation that provides flood control and hydroelectric flow augmentation across two watersheds in upstate New York.

Smullen retired at the rank of colonel in 2015 from the United States Marine Corps. He had 24 years of service as an infantry officer and made three combat tours to Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks on New York. He served at the Pentagon as a military strategist, as well as numerous other operations and training roles in the United States and around the world.

He was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 as a White House Fellow, a prestigious program for leadership and public service.

He served at the United States Department of Energy in the Office of the Secretary of Energy.

Smullen lives on his Matilda Hill Farm in the Town of Johnstown, where he built a house for his family. Along with being an avid runner and outdoorsman, he and his wife Megan have four children.

The 118th Assembly District includes St. Lawrence County towns of Madrid, Norfolk, Stockholm, Parishville, Pierrepont, Clare, Colton, Clifton and Fine, Fulton, and Hamilton counties, most of Herkimer County, and part of Oneida County.