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MANHATTAN (CN) — Republican New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik officially launched her campaign for governor on Friday, seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul on the heels of New York City electing progressive upstart Zohran Mamdani mayor.
Stefanik, a former moderate Republican-turned-fiery ally to President Donald Trump, released a campaign video blaming Hochul’s tenure as governor for a “catastrophe” in the state.
“Kathy Hochul made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation, crushing families with sky-high taxes, unaffordable rent, soaring energy costs and record high grocery bills,” a voiceover in Stefanik’s campaign announcement says.
The video concludes with the slogan: “It’s time to save New York.”
Stefanik’s long-expected campaign announcement comes three days after Democratic Socialist Mamdani won New York’s mayoral race, becoming the city’s first Muslim and South Asian leader.
Stefanik has repeatedly referred to Mamdani as “raging antisemite communist,” and her campaign video shows him wearing a long bandana over his face while labeling his politics as “defund the police.”
Mamdani pulled just over 50% of the citywide vote, while former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo received around 41% running as an independent after losing in June’s Democratic primary.
On Friday, Stefanik attacked Hochul for her endorsement of Mamdani, whose ambitious city proposals currently hinge on state tax hikes to fund free city buses and free childcare.
“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,” the Republican congresswoman wrote on Friday morning.
Stefanik, whose congressional campaign sells merchandise boasting “Ultra MAGA,” “Proud Member of Trump’s Majority,” and “Hochul = Cuomo 2.0,” has been hinting for months that she might challenge Hochul in the 2026 election.
Her campaign announcement on Friday offered nods to Trump’s base, noting “she fought woke insanity in our schools” and “backs the blue,” in reference to support for police and law enforcement.
Last year, Trump picked her to be ambassador to the United Nations but later pulled the nomination over concerns about Republicans’ tight margins in the House.
Stefanik has been U.S. representative for New York’s 21st Congressional District for six terms, representing upstate counties in the capital region surrounding Albany.
She emerged as one of Trump’s most vocal supporters during his first impeachment in 2019 over accusations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for his false claims he won the 2020 election.
In a statement, Hochul campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika called Stefanik “Donald Trump’s No. 1 cheerleader in Congress.”
Hochul, the first woman to lead the Empire State, assumed the governorship after Cuomo resigned in 2021 amid a sexual harassment controversy after more than a dozen women reported inappropriate touching and advances by the then-governor.
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