Elise Stefanik drops NY governor bid, won’t seek re-election to Congress

Rep. Elise Stefanik abruptly withdrew from the race for New York governor on Friday and said she would not seek re-election to Congress, a move that upends the GOP’s path in the state and could reshape the 2026 contest. The North Country Republican, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, said she would finish her term in the House, which runs through 2027.

On X, Stefanik explained that the decision came during a Christmas-season pause with her family and that pursuing a costly primary would not be an effective use of time or resources. "While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress. I did not come to this decision lightly for our family," she wrote, adding that as a mother she would regret not focusing on her son's safety and growth."

Stefanik's move comes after months of political maneuvering. She had drawn endorsements from a broad bloc of county chairs and had publicly attacked Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman after he entered the race last week. The decision clears Blakeman to emerge as the front-runner for the Republican nomination, while party leaders seek to avoid a potentially bruising primary in a state where Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has built a sizable fundraising advantage.

Blakeman welcomed Stefanik's decision and urged unity, thanking her for her public service. New York's Republican Party quickly shifted its support to Blakeman, with State Chairman Ed Cox endorsing him and urging the party to rally behind the Nassau County executive. The Conservative Party chairman Jerry Kassar said conservatives are planning discussions with leaders about endorsing Blakeman, while acknowledging Stefanik's departure as a change in the race.

Trump's camp had alternately hedged on endorsing either candidate in the New York race. After Stefanik's withdrawal, the former president posted that she is "a tremendous talent" and that he would be with her all the way. In polling released recently, Hochul held solid leads over both Stefanik and Blakeman, underscoring the challenge Republicans face in the blue state even as they tried to avoid a costly primary.

Stefanik's decision comes after she had been floated as a possible U.N. ambassador, but Trump pulled the nomination to preserve a Republican majority in the House. She is expected to finish out her term in the House in 2027.

Analysts noted party leadership was eager to prevent a drawn-out intra-party fight. One source said officials feared a protracted primary would drain resources and complicate the incumbent Hochul's campaign. Others cited a national political climate in which a Republican victory in a deep-blue state is uncertain.

With Stefanik out, Blakeman aims to position himself as the leading challenger to Hochul, emphasizing tax-cutting policies, crime-fighting credentials and a tougher stance on federal policy. Hochul's campaign points to her experience and fundraising as advantages.

Stefanik's future remains uncertain, but Friday's decision leaves Blakeman as the main GOP road to challenging Hochul in 2026 and clears space for the party to consolidate support ahead of the cycle. Stefanik's term continues through 2027.