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Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York said Friday that she is ending her campaign for governor and will not seek re-election to her House seat next year, a surprise move that reshapes both the GOP’s statewide race and the battle for control of the House.
In a lengthy post on X, Stefanik, a close ally of President Donald Trump, said the decision was driven by family considerations and the political realities of a contested Republican primary in a solidly Democratic state.
“I have not come to this decision lightly for our family,” Stefanik wrote. “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 added, “While many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom.”
Her decision comes days after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, also a Trump ally, entered the Republican primary for governor, creating a competitive intraparty fight. The GOP nominee will face long odds in New York, though Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s approval ratings have remained underwater.
Stefanik had teased a gubernatorial run for months after Trump withdrew her nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in March. She officially launched her campaign in November, positioning herself as the party’s best chance to flip the governor’s mansion.
By opting not to seek re-election, Stefanik will also vacate New York’s 21st Congressional District, a largely rural, upstate seat stretching from the Albany region to the Canadian border. Trump carried the district by more than 20 points in 2024, though some Republicans had worried it could become competitive in a special election had Stefanik left Congress earlier for the U.N. post.
Trump had appeared to try to clear the Republican field for Stefanik earlier this year, endorsing Blakeman and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., for re-election to their current offices rather than a gubernatorial run. Lawler ultimately chose to seek another term in his closely divided House district, while Blakeman entered the governor’s race anyway.
At a White House event last week attended by Stefanik, Trump publicly praised both Republicans.
“She’s running for a little position called governor of New York, and she’s got a hell of a shot at it,” Trump said at the time. “She’s got a little competition with a very good Republican, but she’s a great Republican.”
Following Stefanik’s announcement, Trump praised her in a Truth Social post, calling her “a tremendous talent.”
“She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!” he wrote.
New York Republican Party Chair Ed Cox quickly endorsed Blakeman, urging party leaders to unite behind him.
Democrats, meanwhile, seized on Stefanik’s exit.
“Elise Stefanik has finally acknowledged reality: If you run against Governor Kathy Hochul, you are going to lose,” Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said.
Stefanik’s decision adds to recent turbulence within House Republican ranks. She has grown increasingly critical in recent weeks of GOP leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana. Her departure also marks another high-profile exit of a Republican woman from Congress, after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced last month that she would resign in January.
The move caps a volatile year for Stefanik, once considered one of the party’s rising stars. Trump’s withdrawal of her U.N. nomination followed her favorable vote out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, but the nomination never reached the full Senate.
After returning to the House, Stefanik did so without her leadership role. She had already been replaced as chair of the House Republican Conference — the No. 4 leadership position — making her previously the highest-ranking Republican woman on Capitol Hill.
