Rep. Elise Stefanik announces run for New York governor, challenging Kathy Hochul in 2026 election

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: November 7, 2025 / 7:47 AM EST


Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced she is running for governor of New York early Friday morning, after months of hinting that she might challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 2026 election. Stefanik launched her campaign with a post on social media, calling Hochul "the worst governor in America."

"Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent the knee to the raging Defund the Police, Tax Hiking Communist causing catastrophe for New York families," Stefanik wrote. "I am running for Governor to make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents will unify to save our state."

Hochul shared a statement of her own, calling the congresswoman President Trump's "number one cheerleader in Congress and his right-hand woman in his war on New York."

"Apparently, screwing over New Yorkers in Congress wasn't enough – now she's trying to bring Trump's chaos and skyrocketing costs to our state," the governor wrote. "While Stefanik puts Trump first and New York last, Governor Hochul is lowering costs, cutting middle-class taxes, and fighting for the New Yorkers Stefanik abandoned."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/elise-stefanik-running-for-new-york-governor/

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I guess she'll start "measuring more drapes"!

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Hochul is tough cookie

She's closely involved with policy, from what I can tell pro-growth (have to be in NY), and a quick wit. Stefanik is cold potatoes.

[FakeNoose]

2. Gov. Hochul is doing a great job by all normal standards

I can't see her losing to Stefanik.

Besides that, it's kind of hard to believe that the Repukes would want a female candidate.

[wolfie001]

7. Desperation

She was bamboozled by tRUMP. Maybe the NY Repuke powers that be think that will help but I doubt it. Mainly because she's an ass.

[IbogaProject]

20. Steffi has to win a primary first

I am sure it will be just as restrained and dignified as our current national GOP. /s

[marble falls]

3. Stefanik's manner that draws her supporters, alienates her with everybody else. She's so tied to TACO, she doesn't ...

... stand a chance.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. She's like an obedient school kid sitting in class with her hands folded.

Every time I watched CSPAN and saw here sitting there, THAT was my perception of her (and since she was originally in the leadership group, she would sit at one of the tables at the front of the GOP side in the chamber, with her hands folded).

She figured she had checked off all the boxes to get a good position in 45's 2nd term, managed to snag one, then THAT got snatched from her (after she was apparently ready to move into the set-aside Waste. Fraud. Abuse. monstrous Manhattan digs that 45 obtained for the government during his first term), and that whole dream job went poof when Johnson convinced 45 to nix it.

You could see she was going bye bye when she put her D.C. home up for sale in September.

[marble falls]

23. She's the one in high school who wanted to be a class officer, the home coming queen, etc and only became a hall guard..

... and glee club member.

[Chasstev365]

4. Ah, Yay: good luck with that Elaine! 🤣

[niyad]

11. elise

[marble falls]

24. Oh poop, and I just sent a nasty e-mail to Elaine Stefanik.

[niyad]

25. Actually, think about it as an implied insult. She isn't even worth getting

her name right.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Not enough Republicans in upstate New York -- and Staten Island

to elect Stefanik.

[DinahMoeHum]

8. Governor Hochul just clapped back. . .

Elise Stefanik is running to deliver New York for Donald Trump and raise your costs.

Not on my watch.

My message to Trump’s “top ally” — bring it on.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. She was ready for that "official announcement"

[Prairie Gates]

10. One of Election Night 2025's Biggest Losers: Elise Stefanik

Original Post: https://democraticunderground.com/100220775265

Elise Stefanik must be looking at the 2026 New York Governor's race with fresh eyes today. In neighboring New Jersey, a Trump-centric GOP candidate just got blown out of the water by 13%; he did not even break 45% in the polls. The hallmarks were supposedly there for a closer race, as the two-term Democratic governor was at least partly unpopular, and the Democratic candidate sustained a major offensive from GOP money. But Mikie Sherril wiped the floor with the MAGA Ciatarrelli, winning by over 400,000 votes and winning bellwether Passaic County, which Trump had turned, 57%-42%.

The news was worse in Virginia. Spanberger won by over 15% (!), a larger percentage margin than Mike Braun's win in Indiana in 2024.

In Stefanik's own state, of course, Zohran Mamdani won the NYC mayor's race handily, claiming an outright majority and energizing a new group of voters in New York City. He did so with Governor Hochul's active support and endorsement. That will be remembered.

Now Stefanik will have to face Hochul in a blue state governor's race in 2026.

She's already a loser. Trump dangled UN Ambassador for her after her relentless and craven MAGA devotion. He yanked the post and the cushy Upper East Side digs from her and handed it to one of the most incompetent men in the Trump orbit, Signal Chat moron Mike Waltz. This switcheroo was offensive even to liberals: for whatever you might say about Stefanik, she's a smart, accomplished, Ivy League educated attorney. Mike Waltz is a filled-out shirt and a haircut. In recompence for this public humiliation, Trump hooked her up with some money people for a gubernatorial run against the popular Hochul in 2026. How long is that money going to keep flowing after last night? With double digit margins against Trump-backed clowns in NJ and VA, who's going to throw good money after bad in NY?

Congrats Elise Stefanik: You earned it!

[Historic NY]

12. She hasn't had a town hall ever, and the last public appearence she was booed off the stage.

This is her own district..

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/rep-elise-stefanik-repeatedly-booed-during-plattsburgh-event-245277765563]

]

Erie county went Democrat on election day Kathy Hochu home county.

https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/your-local-election-headquarters-new-york-state/erie-county-democrat-and-republican-analysts-react-to-election-results/

The icing on the cake is Monroe County, Democrat sweep also

https://13wham.com/news/local/election-results-malik-evans-wins-reelection-several-democrats-win-town-supervisor-races]

Thats pretty much the dominant counties in Western NY.

[JoseBalow]

17. OMG! That was just WONDERFUL!

I could watch that on a loop. Thank you for making my day!

[maspaha]

13. Classy Elise will turn the race into a "bitch fight"...

…fortunately, Kathy can hold her own.

[PFparks]

14. Stefanik is a loser

Stefanik is a sad MAGA Trumper and will never be our Governor. Her political career is finished . The GOP and their MAGA ideas are out of touch with the far majority of New Yorkers as evidenced by their dismal showing in Tuesday's local elections. Local Democrats defeated dozens of incumbent Republican officials all over our state from Buffalo to Brooklyn. I do not understand why Elise chose to announce her candidacy on the heels of such an epic GOP defeat. Stefanik will end her elected political career when she is soundly defeated by Kathy Hochul next year. Maybe Elise is hoping for an employment offer from Fox news or OAN.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. "I do not understand why Elise chose to announce her candidacy on the heels of such an epic GOP defeat."

After the UN Ambassadorship was ripped from her, she has been plotting her next move and it wasn't going to be in Congress (at least the House) at that point. She became "damaged goods" with that rebuke. So I think she was perhaps looking at either Senator or Governor. She's young (41) and has plenty of time. She had already put her D.C. townhouse up for sale in September.

Gillibrand JUST got reelected in the Senate (and she is from upstate too, where her original NY-20 adjoined the current NY-21 district that Stefanik is MIA from), so that option was out for her.

The gubernatorial race was up next as a jumping-off point to attempt to introduce herself to the rest of the state.

I expect she knows she will probably lose governor but Schumer will be up in 2028 and that election is sure to be a slugfest.

[Prairie Gates]

16. She basically had to announce to keep the donors from fleeing

They're still going to flee anyway. Her position at this point looks hopeless with less than a year to go.

[JoseBalow]

18. She sucks

I hope she loses miserably.

[dalton99a]

19. .

[Marie Marie]

21. Does that mean she automatically loses her Congressional seat when her campaign starts?

If so, GOOD! And is that a seat we can flip or is it cherry red?

[karynnj]

29. No, she can remain in Congress while she runs

However, whether she can run for Congress AND for Governor on the same ballot depends on the state. I could not find the rules for New York. I know it differs by state.

If she can run for both, I would imagine it could make for a complicated congressional run as that could be used against her especially in the primaries of both.

If she was not so thoroughly dislikable, you could almost feel sorry for her.

[Marie Marie]

33. Thanks for the info. May she run for both and lose both. Win win for us!

[DrFunkenstein]

22. Trump's Toady May Want to Check The Poll Numbers

Where the Fascist-in-Chief has a 38% approval rating currently in NY State. Maybe humping his leg like a lapdog is not the best look - which is why Polymarket gives her a 15% chance of winning.

[lapucelle]

26. Her launch was an embarrassing disaster. Her website wasn't ready, but it went live anyway.

Her team built the website using a "local legal services" template.

The tabs referred to common family legal services and the site still contained commonly-used place holder text (Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet). She also used old photos for her congressional run

She had months to get this right and couldn't be bothered.

Link to tweet

[BumRushDaShow]

28. LOL

Plus she already has a potential primary challenger -

Stefanik hit by GOP rival after launching NY governor bid

By Jason Beeferman, Bill Mahoney and Nick Reisman
11/07/2025 03:09 PM EST


NEW YORK — Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s Friday morning campaign launch for governor came just days after one of her fiercest GOP rivals claimed victory in Long Island’s purple Nassau County.

Now that rival — Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — is criticizing her nascent bid as he mulls jumping into the gubernatorial race himself.

“I have tremendous respect for Elise, however our party must nominate a candidate that has broad based appeal with independents and common sense Democrats,” Blakeman said in a statement. “The party must nominate the candidate with the best chance to defeat Kathy Hochul, and I have been urged by business, community and political leaders across the state to make the run and I am seriously considering it.”

His statement Friday is bad news for New York Republican Chair Ed Cox, who endorsed Stefanik in a statement soon after she officially entered the governor’s race. Cox declared in his endorsement there would not be a contested GOP primary.

(snip)

[lapucelle]

31. Republican Mike Lawler was also thinking of running, but chose to clear the field

so Stefanik could run unopposed in the primary.

Link to tweet

[pwb]

27. Stefanik picked an easy red district upstate and won now she would lose

that district. She is an uppity puke professional politician out of place in New York. She is against New York and will bad mouth it and then lose by 20%. One good thing is this guarantees a Democratic Governor for New York.

[Paladin]

30. No. (nt)

[Hey Joe]

32. A vile person who wrecked her own career

Hope she is poisoned by her own venom.
Too bad though, because she is intelligent but couldn’t resist wading into the MAGA swamp.
Coulda been a contender…..