Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Rep. Elise Stefanik formally entered the 2026 New York governor’s race on Wednesday, launching a campaign that casts Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul as responsible for soaring costs across the state and aligning her with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist.
In a two-and-a-half-minute announcement video titled “A New York That Works for You,” the North Country congresswoman accused Hochul of presiding over “an affordability crisis” and pledged to “restore New York’s greatness” by lowering taxes and improving public safety.
“There’s no question: New York is facing an affordability crisis,” a narrator says in the video, featuring news clips and commentators calling Hochul the “worst governor in America.”
Background
Stefanik, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, had long been expected to run after a failed U.N. ambassador nomination earlier this year. Trump withdrew her name from consideration amid concerns that her departure from Congress could imperil the GOP’s narrow House majority.
The 40-year-old lawmaker, first elected in 2014 as the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress, has climbed the ranks of Republican leadership, serving as House GOP conference chair and emerging as one of Trump’s most loyal defenders during his first impeachment.
Her campaign video notably does not mention Trump, signaling an attempt to broaden her appeal in a deep-blue state where the former president remains polarizing.
Campaign Message and Legal Framing
The launch video centers on economic pain and public safety — themes central to Republican efforts in recent New York elections. It blames Hochul for “sky-high taxes, unaffordable rent, soaring energy costs and record-high grocery bills,” while portraying Mamdani as emblematic of the state’s leftward drift.
“Kathy Hochul made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation and cozied up to an anti-police, tax-hiking, antisemitic communist,” the narrator says, as images of Mamdani supporters chanting “tax the rich” play behind Hochul at a rally.
Mamdani, who won a decisive victory earlier this week to become the next mayor of New York City, campaigned on rent controls, public housing expansion, and wealth taxes — policies Stefanik’s campaign says would “drive more families and businesses out of the state.”
Government and Political Response
Hochul’s campaign has not yet responded to Stefanik’s announcement. The governor, who succeeded Andrew Cuomo in 2021 following his resignation, is running for a second full term after winning by six points in 2022.
She is expected to face a primary challenge from Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who announced his campaign in September. Democrats close to the Hochul campaign told local outlets they plan to focus on Stefanik’s alignment with Trump and her opposition to abortion rights.
Trump, for his part, privately encouraged Rep. Mike Lawler — another potential Republican contender — to remain in Congress, effectively clearing the path for Stefanik’s gubernatorial run, according to two GOP officials familiar with the matter.
Broader Context
While New York remains solidly Democratic, Trump’s performance in 2024 showed signs of erosion in the state’s traditional blue firewall. He lost New York by 13 points — an improvement of 11 points from 2020, the largest swing toward Trump of any state in the nation.
Republicans hope that discontent over housing costs, taxes, and crime could help narrow the gap further in 2026. Still, analysts caution that Stefanik faces steep odds in a statewide race, particularly with Democrats energized by the 2025 citywide victories in New York City and Buffalo.
Next Steps
Stefanik plans to begin a statewide “Make New York Affordable Again” tour later this month, with stops in Albany, Buffalo, and Long Island. Her campaign has already booked airtime for television ads highlighting her roots in upstate New York and her efforts to “bring jobs home.”
“She’s betting that voters’ economic pain will outweigh their partisan instincts,” said political scientist Grant Reeher of Syracuse University. “If affordability is the defining issue in 2026, Stefanik’s message will resonate — but New York hasn’t elected a Republican governor in 20 years.”
