Elise Stefanik launches campaign to unseat ‘worst governor’ Kathy Hochul in 2026

Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to embrace democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor could come back to haunt her bid for a second term.

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, a close ally of President Donald Trump, announced her campaign to unseat Hochul on Friday morning, torching the incumbent for aligning herself with a “defund the police, tax-hiking, antisemitic communist.” Stefanik, 41, rolled out a campaign launch video with the slogan “Save New York” after hinting at a gubernatorial run for months.

“From the ashes of Kathy Hochul’s failed policies, New York will rise like we always do,” the video’s narrator says. “The spirit of the Empire State cannot be broken. All we need is a courageous leader ready for the fight. Elise Stefanik will make New York affordable and safe.”

Stefanik, a six-term House lawmaker, indicated that she would officially announce her decision following Tuesday’s election for New York City mayor and other local races. Her campaign will enter the race with more than $13 million in the bank.

The New York Republican frequently refers to Hochul, 67, as “the worst governor in America” and has argued that the incumbent’s left-wing policies has made the Empire State the most unaffordable place in the country.

Stefanik has also torched Hochul’s approach to crime and immigration enforcement. The duo notably clashed during a House Oversight hearing in June during which Hochul failed to identify illegal migrants who committed high-profile crimes during her tenure when pressed by Stefanik.

The New York Republican has relentlessly tied Hochul to Mamdani’s brand of democratic socialism and previous anti-law enforcement statements. Hochul, who endorsed Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in September, provided additional fodder for Stefanik’s attack line by headlining a campaign rally for Mamdani a week prior to his election victory on Tuesday.

Given New York’s Democratic-lean, Stefanik will likely need to secure support from a vast swath of independents and some moderate Democrats to run a competitive campaign.

“There’s been an outpouring of support from Republicans, Democrats, independents, all across our great state,” Stefanik told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on Thursday. “Many Democrats who previously supported Kathy Hochul are lining up in support.”

New York Republican chairman Ed Cox immediately endorsed Stefanik’s gubernatorial run on Friday.

“Elise Stefanik is a unifier and a party builder with the brains, the guts and the resources to win statewide next year,” Cox said in a statement.

Stefanik’s run could be complicated by Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, who is also weighing a gubernatorial bid and won a decisive reelection victory on Tuesday. Neighboring New York City elected socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor the same evening.

Blakeman attributed a combination of “strong leadership, American values and common sense” as a reason for Nassau Republicans’ success during an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations only to pull her nomination amid concerns that her departure would put House Republicans’ slim majority at risk in March.

Hochul has served as governor since 2021 following disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo resigning amid several scandals. She is notably facing a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, who is running to her left.

A Republican candidate has not prevailed in a New York gubernatorial contest since former Governor George Pataki’s third-term reelection win in 2002.

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