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In a surprising turn of political events, Republican Representative Elise Stefanik announced Friday evening that she will withdraw from the New York gubernatorial race and will not seek reelection to Congress. Sources close to the situation reveal that President Trump’s reluctance to endorse her candidacy played a significant role in her decision.
“The biggest piece of this puzzle was Donald Trump and the fact that he passed three times on endorsing her candidacy, including in the Oval Office with the Miracle on Ice Team last week,” a GOP source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital. “I think that played the largest role in this decision.”
Stefanik, who has been one of Trump’s most vocal defenders in Congress, initially entered the gubernatorial race last month with hopes of having a “clear shot” at challenging incumbent Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. However, the political landscape shifted dramatically when Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Trump ally, announced his candidacy earlier this month.
“When you start to add these things up, and you see a contested primary, you see an assumed ally in the president who passes on endorsing, and it does not seem that you’re going to have the wind to your back in this cycle, I think it all played into this,” the source explained.
In her announcement on social media, Stefanik cited strategic considerations for her withdrawal. “While we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,” she wrote.
The decision marks a significant shift for Stefanik, who has been a rising star in the Republican Party. Earlier this year, Trump had nominated her to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, though that nomination was later withdrawn to maintain the GOP’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
Following Blakeman’s entry into the gubernatorial race, Trump chose to remain neutral between the two allies. “Elise is fantastic and Bruce is,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “Two fantastic people, and I always hate it when two very good friends of mine are running, and I hope there’s not a lot of damage done.”
Governor Hochul’s reelection campaign quickly responded to Stefanik’s announcement, pivoting to target Blakeman. “Elise Stefanik has finally acknowledged reality: If you run against Governor Kathy Hochul, you are going to lose,” the campaign stated, before criticizing Blakeman as “100% MAGA” and claiming he had “let violent crime in Nassau County spike to its highest level in a decade.”
However, the Republican field for the New York gubernatorial race remains fluid. Sources indicate that “multiple county leaders are reaching out to Congressman Mike Lawler” as a potential candidate, suggesting it is “premature” to assume the New York GOP is “coalescing around Blakeman.” The source noted that many Republican officials are “taking time to regroup.”
Blakeman responded diplomatically to Stefanik’s announcement, posting on social media: “I wish Congresswoman Stefanik nothing but success as she pursues her priorities and continues her service to our nation. At this pivotal moment for New York, it is essential that Republicans and all New Yorkers come together in unity.”
For his part, Trump praised Stefanik on social media following her announcement. “Elise Stefanik, a fantastic person and Congresswoman from New York State, has just announced she won’t be running for Governor. Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!” he wrote.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who previously worked for Stefanik, also offered words of support: “Elise Stefanik has been an incredible advocate for the people of her district in Upstate New York, and she will always be a true friend to President Trump. On a personal note, Elise is my former boss. She is a great leader, and an even better person.”
The development represents another chapter in New York’s complex political landscape, where Republicans have been seeking to regain the governor’s mansion in a predominantly Democratic state. As the 2026 election cycle approaches, attention now turns to whether Blakeman or another Republican candidate can mount an effective challenge to Hochul’s incumbency.
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17 Comments
As someone who has been a vocal Trump supporter, Stefanik’s withdrawal from the New York governor’s race due to a lack of endorsement from the former president is quite significant. The mining and commodities industries will be monitoring this situation closely to assess the potential impacts on their interests in the state.
Stefanik’s decision to withdraw from the New York gubernatorial race is intriguing, given her strong alignment with Trump. The absence of his endorsement appears to have been a key factor. This development will be closely watched by the mining and energy sectors, as it could foreshadow changes in the state’s political landscape.
The mining and energy sectors will be paying close attention to the political maneuverings in New York following Stefanik’s surprise exit from the gubernatorial race. Trump’s reluctance to endorse her candidacy appears to have been a deciding factor, and this could have implications for the industry’s priorities and concerns in the state.
The mining and commodities sectors have a vested interest in the political dynamics in New York. Stefanik’s withdrawal and the lack of a Trump endorsement could signal a shift in the state’s political landscape, which could have implications for the industry.
Stefanik’s decision to withdraw from the New York gubernatorial race is an interesting twist, given her close alignment with Trump. The mining and energy sectors will be closely following this situation to assess the potential implications for their interests in the state.
The mining and commodities sectors have been closely watching the political maneuverings in New York. Stefanik’s exit may create new opportunities or challenges for the industry, depending on who fills the void.
Shifts in the political landscape can have ripple effects on the mining and energy sectors. Stakeholders will be closely monitoring how this situation unfolds.
Stefanik’s withdrawal from the New York governor’s race is a noteworthy event, particularly given her strong ties to Trump. The mining and energy sectors will be closely monitoring this situation to understand how it may affect their interests and priorities in the state.
This is a curious turn of events in New York politics. Stefanik’s departure from the gubernatorial race, coupled with Trump’s lack of endorsement, could signal a shift in the state’s political dynamics that the mining and energy industries will be closely monitoring.
This is an intriguing development in New York politics. Stefanik’s departure from the gubernatorial race, coupled with Trump’s reluctance to endorse her, is a significant twist that the mining and commodities industries will be watching closely for potential impacts on their operations and concerns in the state.
Interesting development in New York politics. Stefanik’s withdrawal from the governor’s race seems tied to Trump’s lack of endorsement, a surprising move given her staunch support for him. Curious to see how this plays out and who emerges as the GOP nominee.
The Trump endorsement carries a lot of weight in Republican primaries, so his reluctance to back Stefanik is telling. Her political future will be worth watching closely.
The mining and energy sectors will be keenly interested in the political dynamics unfolding in New York following Stefanik’s withdrawal from the gubernatorial race. Trump’s lack of endorsement appears to have been a key factor, and this could signal shifts in the state’s political landscape that could affect the industry’s interests.
This is a surprising development in the New York gubernatorial race. Stefanik’s close ties to Trump made her a prominent figure, so his lack of endorsement seems to have been a significant factor in her decision. The mining and energy industries will be watching to see how this impacts their interests.
The mining and commodities industries will be keeping a close eye on the political developments in New York following Stefanik’s surprise exit from the gubernatorial race. Trump’s lack of endorsement appears to have been a significant factor, and this could signal shifts in the state’s political landscape that could impact the industry.
The mining and commodities sectors have a vested interest in the political landscape of New York. Stefanik’s withdrawal from the gubernatorial race, seemingly due to Trump’s reluctance to endorse her, is a development that will be closely watched by industry stakeholders.
Stefanik’s withdrawal from the New York governor’s race is an interesting development, particularly given her close ties to Trump. The mining and commodities sectors will be watching to see how this plays out and whether it leads to any shifts in the state’s political landscape that could impact their interests.