Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced Friday she is ending her bid for governor of New York and will not seek re-election to Congress.
Stefanik Ends Gubernatorial and Congressional Campaigns
Stefanik made the decision after spending time with her family during the Christmas season, according to a post on social media. She stated the decision was not made lightly.
The announcement comes less than two months after Stefanik launched a campaign to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026. She recently faced a primary competitor in Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
“While we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,” Stefanik wrote.
Stefanik’s congressional district is conservative, with the congresswoman winning reelection last November by 24 points and former President Trump carrying it by more than 20 points.
The move brings an abrupt turn in Stefanik’s political career. She is set to leave elected office in early 2027.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, stating, “Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!”
Stefanik was once a critic of Trump, but rose to national prominence with her questioning of witnesses during Trump’s first impeachment and became one of his highest-profile supporters. She strongly backed his 2024 bid for the White House.
Stefanik had been nominated for the position of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations with Trump’s return to the White House, but the nomination was later withdrawn as the GOP navigated a narrow majority in Congress. Trump stated at the time it was “essential that we maintain EVERY Republican seat in Congress.”
She entered the New York governor’s race accusing Hochul of not doing enough to reduce costs in the state or fight antisemitism, seeking to link the incumbent to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
Trump did not endorse Stefanik before or after Blakeman entered the race. He also declined to agree with Stefanik’s characterization of Mamdani as a “jihadist” during an Oval Office meeting.
“She’s out there campaigning,” Trump told reporters, “and you say things sometimes in a campaign.”
Whoever wins the Republican nomination will face an uphill climb in New York, a solidly Democratic state, though one where Trump made significant inroads in 2024. Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state by less than 13 points, down from former President Joe Biden’s 23-point victory four years earlier.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, a former communications director for Stefanik, also praised her former boss. “Elise Stefanik has been an incredible advocate for the people of her district in Upstate New York, and she will always be a true friend to President Trump. On a personal note, Elise is my former boss. She is a great leader, and an even better person. We love you, @EliseStefanik!” Leavitt posted.
Hochul was able to fend off a challenge from current EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in the 2022 governor’s race, winning a full term by less than 7 points after replacing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in 2021. Republicans have not won a statewide race in New York since 2002.
The chair of the New York Republican Party, Ed Cox, released a statement saying Stefanik would “remain a leader in our party and a powerful voice for our principles” while also endorsing Blakeman and urging other party leaders in the state to follow suit.
“Bruce is a fighter who has proven he knows how to win in difficult political terrain,” Cox said.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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