Stefanik Expected to Announce N.Y. Gubernatorial Bid After NYC Election

Rep. Elise Stefanik is preparing to officially announce her 2026 campaign for New York governor soon after Tuesday's New York City mayoral election, according to associates familiar with her plans.

The move would set up a high-profile bid by one of President Donald Trump's top allies in Congress to become the first Republican elected to lead the state in more than two decades, Axios reported Friday.

Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul, who faces reelection in 2026, was found to be "deeply vulnerable" in an internal poll released by Stefanik's political committee.

Stefanik has built out an extensive political team and amassed more than $13 million in cash on hand, according to sources.

Newsmax has reached out to the congresswoman's office for comment.

Stefanik has positioned herself to challenge Hochul on several fronts, from immigration to the Democrat governor's endorsement in September of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor.

During a June congressional hearing, the pair sparred over Trump's deployment of the National Guard to California, with Stefanik pressing Hochul on New York's sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants in a likely preview of the tone and issues in next year's gubernatorial race.

Stefanik's campaign will reportedly be led by her longtime political lieutenant Alex deGrasse, who will serve as chief strategist and CFO, with chief of staff Patrick Hester also playing a key role.

Stefan Mychajliw, a veteran of Vivek Ramaswamy's presidential campaign, will head rapid response.

Stefanik has also reportedly enlisted several top Trump advisers, according to sources, including Tony Fabrizio, Trump's 2024 chief strategist, as pollster; Chris Grant, who ran the main pro-Trump super PAC, as adviser; and Tim Saler, another Trump 2024 official, to oversee voter microtargeting.

Deep-blue New York shifted further to the right than any other state in the 2024 elections, leaving open the possibility for a Republican governor to be seated in Albany.

Trump won more than 3.5 million votes in New York, the most for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1988, and 800,000 more than GOP gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin received in 2022.

Stefanik's campaign reportedly plans to focus on those Trump voters who did not turn out for Zeldin.

Fellow New York GOP Rep. Mike Lawler had also weighed a gubernatorial bid but ultimately decided to remain in the House after Trump made clear he preferred the two-term congressman stay in the chamber rather than risk losing his competitive seat, reports CNN.

In a May interview on CNN, Hochul said she was ready for the fight. "I look forward to that fight," she said. "No matter who it is, it's not settled yet, but I say bring it on."

Stefanik has also leaned heavily into combating antisemitism, a stance her team sees as resonating with Jewish voters in a state where they make up more than 8% of the population.

She gained national attention in 2023 when she grilled university presidents over campus antisemitism and plans to publish a book in April, "Poisoned Ivies," about what she calls "far-left indoctrination" at colleges.

Her allies believe that discontent could grow after Mamdani's expected victory in the mayoral race next week.

National Republicans earlier this year conducted polling to identify the strongest GOP challenger to Hochul, weighing Stefanik, Lawler, and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, with Stefanik emerging as the favorite.

Blakeman has not announced his plans.

Trump had briefly tapped Stefanik to serve as U.N. ambassador after winning the presidency last year, but withdrew the nomination amid concerns he'd need her vote to maintain a slim Republican majority in the House.

Democrats, meanwhile, are already sharpening their attacks.

"Elise Stefanik has spent her career in D.C. selling out New Yorkers to Donald Trump, and that is why she is going to lose to Kathy Hochul," said Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe.

"Whether it's her votes to help Trump gut Medicaid or raise costs, Stefanik and her record could not be more toxic with New York voters," he said. "Bring it on."