Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has announced that she will be running for the gubernatorial race in New York. She will be facing incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul.  

Stefanik announced, “Kathy Hochul is 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. I am running for Governor to make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents will unify to save our state.”

Stefanik has been hinting at a run for governor for months now and took aim at Hochul in her announcement video posted to X, tying the Democrat to Zohran Mamdani. Hochul endorsed the socialist NYC mayor-elect earlier this year, but Mamdani has not returned to favor.  

The video posted by Stefanik also included Hochul’s appearance with Mamdani at a rally where the crowd broke out chanting “tax the rich” in October. Stefanik, a prominent congresswoman in the GOP as well as an ally to President Donald Trump, if elected, would be the first Republican leader of the Empire State in decades. 

“New York State is single-party, Democrat rule,” Stefanik said leading up to the launch of her campaign. “Under Kathy Hochul’s failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation, with the highest taxes, highest utility and energy prices, highest rent, and it’s why people are leaving in mass exodus.”

Hochul’s approval rating as of April earlier this year was at 39 percent, according to a Marist poll. 46 percent of New Yorkers disapproved of the job she has done as governor. Additionally, a poll from the Manhattan Institute in late October found that Stefanik has a slight lead over Hochul in the governor’s race. Stefanik’s support came in at 43 percent while Hochul’s was at 42 percent. 9 percent of those who took the survey said that they support someone else for governor, while 7 percent said they were “not sure.”