Rep. Elise Stefanik Friday launched her Republican marketing campaign to unseat Gov. Hochul in 2026, taking intention at her opponent as a puppet of Zohran Mamdani and “the worst governor in America.”
The upstate congresswoman introduced her long-anticipated run towards Hochul with a video that accused the incumbent Democrat of creating the Empire State unaffordable for working individuals.
“I am running for governor to bring a new generation of leadership to Albany to make New York affordable and safe for families all across our great state,” Stefanik stated in a press release.
Stefanik, who represents a deep-red congressional district within the far upstate North Nation, accused Hochul of taking cues from Mamdani, the New York Metropolis mayor-elect who Republicans hope to make a bogeyman for voters exterior the 5 boroughs.
“Kathy Hochul … cozied up to an anti-police, tax-hiking, anti-semitic communist,” a narrator says within the video, which featured Mamdani supporters chanting “tax the rich” as Hochul addressed a latest marketing campaign rally.
Hochul hit again at Stefanik as a stooge of President Trump, whose backing is political kryptonite in deep-blue New York.
“While I’m fighting like hell to lower costs for New York families, Elise Stefanik is screwing over New Yorkers and jacking up costs to please Trump,” the governor tweeted. “Stefanik always puts Trump first and you last.”
Stefanik has been planning for the race for months. Her path to the GOP nomination bought a lot clearer when Rep. Mike Lawler (R-New York) determined to skip the race and as a substitute run for reelection from his Westchester County-based swing congressional district.
Hochul underwhelmed in her first run for governor, successful by lower than 6% within the deep-blue state towards Lengthy Island ex-Rep. Lee Zeldin.
However Stefanik might face headwinds of her personal in 2026. After massive Democratic wins within the off-year elections this week, the midterms are shaping up as a referendum on the unpopular Trump’s right-wing second time period and Democrats seem rather more energized than Republicans.
Stefanik, a Harvard graduate, was 30 and the youngest girl ever elected to Congress when she swept to her first Home victory in 2014. She began out as a reasonable Republican however has reshaped her political persona right into a brash MAGA disciple within the age of Trump.
Final yr, Trump tapped Stefanik to be the ambassador to the United Nations, however yanked the nomination over issues about shedding her seat in a possible particular election.
The final time a Republican received the governor’s mansion was George Pataki, who received his third and remaining time period in 2002.
