Republican Elise Stefanik ends New York governor bid and will leave Congress

Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik announced that she is withdrawing from the race for governor of New York and will not seek re-election to Congress.

Her announcement comes days after Republican Bruce Blakeman, who like Stefanik is a close ally of Donald Trump, said he intended to challenge her in the upcoming primaries in the 2026 governor’s race.

Stefanik announced her candidacy to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in early November.

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In the lengthy statement, she said she wanted to have time to focus on her family.

“I believe that being a parent is life’s greatest gift and responsibility,” she said.

“I have thought deeply about this and know that as a mother I will feel deep regret if I do not focus more on the safety, growth and happiness of my young son, especially at his young age.”

Blakeman, a two-term Republican executive from Nassau County on Long Island, New York, announced his candidacy for governor earlier this month, setting up a primary clash with Stefanik.

A campaign spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that Stefanik had “finally acknowledged” the reality that she would lose the race against her.

Ryan Radulovacki added that “Hochul’s message to him [Blakeman] or whatever stooge Trump chooses to run against her, it’s simple: go for it. »

President Trump had not taken sides before the tough primary, recently telling reporters, “They’re both great people. We have a lot of great people in the Republican Party.”

On Friday on Truth Social, he said Stefanik was “a huge talent,” adding that he was “with her all the way” no matter what she did.

Stefanik, 41, has represented New York’s 21st Congressional District, located north of Albany and including the Adirondack Mountains, since 2014.

She has been a staunch ally of Trump, becoming one of his strongest supporters during his first impeachment in 2019.

For his second term, Trump initially nominated her as United Nations ambassador, but withdrew the nomination due to considerations regarding the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives.

New York’s last Republican governor, George Pataki, served until 2007.