Elise Stefanik Sends Shockwave Through New York GOP, Pulls Plug on Governor Run [WATCH]

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., announced Friday that she is ending her campaign for New York governor and will not seek reelection to Congress, just over a month after formally launching her bid to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026.

Stefanik made the announcement in a message posted to X, citing family considerations as the reason for stepping out of the race and declining to run again for her House seat.

“While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek reelection to Congress. I did not come to this decision lightly for our family,” Stefanik wrote.

She added that her role as a parent was central to the decision.

“And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom,” she wrote.

“I believe that being a parent is life’s greatest gift and greatest responsibility. I have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don’t further focus on my young son’s safety, growth, and happiness – particularly at his tender age.”

While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress. I did not come to this decision lightly for our family.

I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and…

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) December 19, 2025

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President Donald Trump, a close political ally of Stefanik, publicly praised her following the announcement.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said, “Elise Stefanik, a fantastic person and Congresswoman from New York State, has just announced she won’t be running for Governor. Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!”

Stefanik officially entered the gubernatorial race in November after months of preparation, centering her campaign on crime, taxes, and affordability across New York.

She represents a conservative-leaning district in upstate New York and had emerged as a leading Republican critic of Hochul, who is seeking a second four-year term after being sworn in as governor in August 2021 following the resignation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo amid multiple scandals.

At 41 years old, Stefanik has built a national profile within the Republican Party.

A Harvard graduate, she previously worked as a staffer in then-President George W. Bush’s administration and later served as an aide on the Mitt Romney–Paul Ryan presidential campaign in 2012. She made history in 2014 as the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Initially viewed as a more moderate Republican early in her congressional career, Stefanik became a prominent supporter of Trump during his first term as president and rose through GOP leadership ranks in the House.

Her defense of Trump during his first impeachment solidified her standing with the president and his supporters.

After Trump won the presidency in the 2024 election, he nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

That nomination was later withdrawn in March after concerns emerged about Republicans’ narrow majority in the House and the risk of losing Stefanik’s seat in a special election.

Stefanik remained in Congress, and House GOP leaders created a new leadership role for her.

Not long afterward, she began seriously considering a run for governor in 2026, a move encouraged by Trump.

The Republican field for governor has shifted in recent months. Rep. Mike Lawler, another potential contender, announced over the summer that he would seek reelection to the House instead of entering the gubernatorial race.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Trump ally, entered the race last week after months of deliberation.

Trump addressed the emerging field after Blakeman’s announcement, telling reporters at the White House, “Elise is fantastic and Bruce is.”

He added, “Two fantastic people, and I always hate it when two very good friends of mine are running, and I hope there’s not a lot of damage done.”

Despite being viewed as the Republican frontrunner in polling and fundraising, Stefanik expressed concern about a lengthy primary contest. In her announcement, she thanked supporters for their donations but said it would not be 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.”

Blakeman responded to Stefanik’s decision with a statement praising her record.

He applauded Stefanik “for her outstanding service to the people of New York and to all Americans” and described her as “a strong voice for common-sense values, national security, and economic opportunity.”

During her consideration of the gubernatorial race, Stefanik was a frequent critic of Hochul.

In a Fox News Digital interview in June, she described Hochul as “the worst governor in America,” a phrase she repeated in subsequent appearances.

She also sought to link Hochul politically to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Democratic officials responded quickly to Stefanik’s exit. Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe claimed that Stefanik “saw the writing on the wall and knew she would lose — big — to Governor Hochul.”

Hochul’s campaign released a statement asserting that “Stefanik has finally acknowledged reality: If you run against Governor Kathy Hochul, you are going to lose.”

Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki separately described Blakeman as “100% MAGA.”