Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, a high ally to President Donald Trump, introduced Friday afternoon that she would droop her marketing campaign for governor of New York, and in addition not run for reelection to the U.S. Home of Representatives, simply months after she launched a bid to attempt to flip the governorship at the moment held by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“I’m really humbled and grateful for the historic and overwhelming assist from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all throughout the state for our marketing campaign to Save New York,” Stefanik wrote in a submit on X.
Chairwoman of Home Republican Management, Elise Stefanik is joined by state GOP lawmakers throughout a information convention the place she spoke in opposition to Gov. Kathy Hochul, June 9, 2025, on the Capitol in Albany, N.Y.
Will Waldron/Albany Occasions Union through Getty Photographs)
“Nonetheless, as we now have seen in previous elections, whereas we’d have overwhelmingly gained this main, it’s not an efficient use of our time or your beneficiant assets to spend the primary half of subsequent yr in an pointless and protracted Republican main, particularly in a difficult state like New York.”
She additionally cited eager to spend extra time along with her son.
Since launching her bid for governor in November, Stefanik had consolidated assist from lots of New York’s native Republican county events behind her, however she confronted a main opponent in Nassau County Government Bruce Blakeman, who introduced his personal bid.
Trump, whom Stefanik has supported, had declined to endorse both candidate to date, calling each Stefanik and Blakeman “implausible.”
“To begin with, he is a pal. She’s a pal. These are two nice individuals operating in a approach I hate to see them I am operating in opposition to one another,” Trump mentioned earlier this month.
President Donald Trump shakes arms with Rep. Elise Stefanik throughout a bill-signing occasion to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 US Olympic ice hockey workforce within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, December 12, 2025.
Francis Chung/EPA/Shutterstock
Stefanik was first elected to symbolize New York within the Home in 2014, and was on the time the youngest girl to ever win a seat in Congress. She grew to become a rising star within the GOP and joined Home management in 2021 as chair of the Home Republican Convention.
Trump tapped her to be his U.S. ambassador to the United Nations shortly after his election victory in November 2024, praising her in an announcement to ABC Information as “an extremely sturdy, powerful, and good America First fighter.”
However months later, Trump mentioned he was asking her to withdraw her nomination, citing razor-thin margins within the Republican-controlled Home. Stefanik mentioned she was “proud to be a workforce participant” and step apart.
Trump and White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted to Stefanik’s announcement.
“Elise is an incredible expertise, no matter what she does. She may have GREAT success, and I’m along with her all the way in which!” Trump posted on his social media platform Friday.
Leavitt, who served as Stefanik’s communications director following Trump’s 2020 election loss, known as Stefanik an “unbelievable advocate” and a “true pal to President Trump.”
“Elise Stefanik has been an unbelievable advocate for the individuals of her district in Upstate New York, and she is going to all the time be a real pal to President Trump. On a private word, Elise is my former boss. She is a good chief, and a good higher individual. We love you, @EliseStefanik!” Leavitt posted on X.
ABC Information’ Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.
