Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is strongly signaling a 2026 run for New York governor, delivering a scathing critique of Democrat incumbent Kathy Hochul and rallying support for a Republican resurgence in one of the nation’s most mismanaged states.
Citing plummeting approval numbers and widespread dissatisfaction across party lines, Stefanik declared Hochul’s time in Albany is up. “We must fire Kathy Hochul,” she said. “New Yorkers are fed up with radical, far-left policies that have turned the Empire State into a sanctuary for crime, illegal immigration, and out-of-control taxation.”
Stefanik pointed to a recent Marist poll showing Hochul’s approval at just 39%, with 57% of voters saying she doesn’t deserve another term. That disapproval cuts across regions and demographics, from crime-weary families in New York City to overtaxed small business owners upstate.
A rising star in the GOP and a trusted ally of President Donald Trump, Stefanik has served in Congress since 2015 and chaired the House Republican Conference from 2021 to 2025. Her leadership and unapologetic America First stance have earned her praise from grassroots conservatives and the Trump coalition alike.
President Trump himself recently praised Stefanik on Truth Social, calling her “GREAT” and one of the most effective voices in Washington. Her name has been floated for everything from governor to potential VP—signals of her growing national profile.
While she hasn’t made an official announcement yet, GOP insiders say Stefanik is actively laying the groundwork. Key donors, party officials, and operatives are already positioning for what could be the most serious Republican challenge to Albany’s Democratic machine in a generation.
Governor Hochul, who was never elected to the job in her own right until 2022 after Andrew Cuomo’s resignation, has faced mounting criticism over rising crime, failed bail reform policies, collapsing public schools, and sanctuary policies that have overwhelmed local services.
Stefanik’s path to the governorship could energize a state party that’s already gaining momentum. Other possible Republican contenders include Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, but Stefanik’s name recognition, fundraising power, and Trump-endorsed platform would make her the immediate frontrunner in a primary.
The 2026 race is shaping up to be a referendum on one-party Democrat rule and a test of whether New Yorkers are finally ready to take back their state from the far-left political class. With crime out of control, taxes sky-high, and people fleeing the state in record numbers, Stefanik’s message is simple: New York needs a reset—and it starts by firing Kathy Hochul.