Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) formally launched her campaign for New York governor on Friday, vowing to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026 while accusing the governor of failing New Yorkers and aligning with socialist leaders in her own party, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
Speaking on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Stefanik sharply criticized Hochul for supporting New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a self-described socialist, ahead of his recent election win.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., formally announced Friday that she is running for governor of New York, vowing to make the state “affordable and safe for all” and promising to “fire Hochul” in a sharp rebuke of Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul’s leadership. pic.twitter.com/LxeI2xzFBW [2]
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) November 7, 2025 [3]
“When New Yorkers were looking for strong leadership from a governor not to bend the knee to Zohran Mandami, Kathy Hochul bent the knee,” Stefanik said. “Why did she do that? Because she is hemorrhaging support, even in her own party.”
Stefanik described Hochul as a “toxic governor” and cited her record as one that has “delivered the highest taxes in the nation,” harmed small businesses, and “turned her back on law enforcement.”
She said, “New York is in catastrophe because of Kathy Hochul’s leadership.”
The upstate congresswoman officially declared her candidacy earlier Friday, telling supporters that New York has ‘fallen’ under Hochul’s leadership.
Stefanik, a strong ally of President Donald Trump, framed her campaign as a fight to restore prosperity and safety to the state.
“She is an accidental governor,” Stefanik said, referencing Hochul’s rise to the office following the resignation of Andrew Cuomo.
“I have a record of flipping a district that was previously held by a Democrat. I’ve won every primary and general election, and we’ve overperformed — winning not just Republicans but independents and a fair share of Democrats as well — because my record has been delivering results for families, for small businesses, for our veterans, for our farmers.”
📺 WATCH: I just joined @foxandfriends [4] to break the news to the Worst Governor in America @KathyHochul [5] that her days of overseeing New York’s historic affordability crisis are numbered.
I’m running for Governor to fire Kathy Hochul and make New York affordable and safe. pic.twitter.com/iBXPoGB2dR [6]
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 7, 2025 [7]
Her campaign launch drew immediate praise from state Republican leaders. New York GOP Chair Ed Cox called Stefanik “a unifier and party builder with the brains, the guts and the resources to win.”
He added, “She is the warrior we need to lead the fight against Democrats’ corrupt Albany machine.”
Cox blamed Hochul’s administration for driving residents out of the state. “Thanks to Kathy Hochul and Democrats, New York leads the nation in outmigration as the most taxed, least free, least affordable state in America,” he said.
“There will not be a Republican primary, and a year from now, Elise will lead our team to victory over Kathy Hochul, end one-party Democrat rule, and make New York affordable again.”
