Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced she is running for governor of New York early Friday morning, after months of hinting that she might challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 2026 election.

Stefanik launched her campaign with a video and statement posted on social media, calling Hochul "the worst governor in America." 

Part of her strategy is to tie Hochul with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who has made no secret of his desire to tax the rich to pay for his campaign promises. 

"Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent the knee to the raging Defund the Police, Tax Hiking Communist causing catastrophe for New York families," Stefanik wrote. "I am running for Governor to make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents will unify to save our state."

Stefanik may be hoping to stir up statewide distaste for Mamdani, a democratic socialist, but her insurgent campaign in a largely blue state has similarities to how Mamdani successfully defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Stefanik is 41, Hochul 67 - the same age as Cuomo.

Stefanik also launched her campaign with an army of support, including the endorsements of 34 Assembly members, 12 state senators, state Republican chair Ed Cox, and George Pataki, the last Republican elected governor of New York.

"Elise Stefanik is a unifier and a party builder with the brains, the guts and the resources to win statewide next year. She has fought for our principles every day of her career, and never backs down. She is the warrior we need to lead the fight against Democrats' corrupt Albany machine," Cox said in a statement.

"The urgency of her candidacy could not be clearer after the election of an openly devout socialist to lead the world's greatest city," Pataki said in a statement.

She said 56 of the state's 62 county chairs are backing her, but missing from the list were the county chairs of Nassau, Suffolk, Bronx and Rockland counties.  

"Apparently, screwing over New Yorkers in Congress wasn't enough"

Hochul's campaign shared a statement in response, calling the congresswoman President Trump's "number one cheerleader in Congress and his right-hand woman in his war on New York."

"Apparently, screwing over New Yorkers in Congress wasn't enough – now she's trying to bring Trump's chaos and skyrocketing costs to our state," a Hochul campaign official wrote. "While Stefanik puts Trump first and New York last, Governor Hochul is lowering costs, cutting middle-class taxes, and fighting for the New Yorkers Stefanik abandoned."

The campaign also said Stefanik voted 100% of the time with Mr. Trump this year, supported tariffs that will cost New York families an average of $4,200 a year, and voted against lower drug costs multiple times.

The race may force Hochul to distance herself from Mamdani, especially when it comes to his call to tax the rich, and she'll have to carefully watch his policies regarding the Jewish community because Stefanik won kudos from Jewish groups for aggressively questioning Ivy League presidents about pro-Palestinian demonstrations on their campuses.

Stefanik and Hochul would both have to win their parties' respective primaries in order to face each other in the general election. 

A Siena poll released in September looked at the results of a hypothetical matchup between them, and had the governor leading 52%-27%.

Rep. Elise Stefanik's rise

At age 30, Stefanik became the youngest woman elected to Congress in 2014. She represents New York's 21st Congressional District upstate and has been reelected five times. 

In November 2024, Mr. Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for a confirmation hearing in January, but the president withdrew her nomination two months later, saying he wanted her to remain in Congress.

"As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress," Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time, adding, "With a very tight Majority, I don't want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise's seat."

President Trump's apparent pick

Then in May, Mr. Trump put out what one political expert described as "a loud message" that he wanted to clear the Republican field for Stefanik by endorsing both Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in their races for reelection. Both had previously expressed interest in a gubernatorial run.

Lawler later announced he intends to run for reelection in 2026.

Blakeman told CBS News New York, "The party must nominate the candidate with the best chance to defeat Kathy Hochul and I have been urged by business, community and political leaders across the state to make the run and I am seriously considering it."

Meanwhile on the Democratic side, Hochul is facing a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.