Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, fierce Trump ally and unwavering Israel supporter, launches New York gubernatorial bid, blasting Governor Hochul’s pro-Hamas endorsements and failed leadership.
Washington, D.C. / Albany, NY —
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, one of President Donald Trump’s closest political allies and a powerful voice for Israel in Congress, is set to announce her candidacy for governor of New York on Friday, Politico reported.
The campaign will kick off with a high-impact video launch and a statewide tour, marking the beginning of what GOP strategists describe as “the most aggressive Republican campaign in decades” to reclaim the New York governorship.
Stefanik, who has served six terms representing New York’s North Country, has secured key endorsements from Republican leaders and conservative donors, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle against Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul.
While her campaign team declined to comment ahead of the official announcement, Stefanik’s sharp rhetoric in recent months leaves little doubt about her message: New York needs strength, security, and sanity.
Targeting Hochul’s Alliance with the Far Left
In the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race — a figure notorious for his anti-Israel and pro-Hamas sympathies — Stefanik accused Governor Hochul of endorsing extremism.
“Under Kathy Hochul’s weak, catastrophic leadership, New York City has now fallen to a pro-Hamas, Defund the Police, Tax-Hiking, Antisemite Jihadist Communist,” Stefanik declared, as quoted by Politico.
“She is truly the Worst Governor in America, with her desperate endorsement of Commie Mamdani.”
Her blistering statement underscored what Republican insiders describe as Stefanik’s “law-and-order, pro-Israel populist platform”, designed to win back moderate Democrats disillusioned by urban decay, rising antisemitism, and the radicalization of New York’s political culture.
Champion of Israel and Conservative Leadership
Stefanik has become a national figure since her grilling of Ivy League university presidents last year in a viral congressional hearing that exposed the institutional tolerance of antisemitism on U.S. campuses. Her questioning forced resignations and turned her into a hero within Jewish and pro-Israel circles worldwide.
In May 2024, she made a high-profile visit to Israel, addressing the Knesset in Jerusalem and condemning President Biden’s hesitant policy on Israel’s right to defend itself during the Gaza war.
“Israel’s survival is non-negotiable. America must stand with Israel — not lecture her, not undermine her,” Stefanik declared in her speech.
President Trump, who once considered Stefanik for the post of U.S. Ambassador to the UN, is said to be strongly supportive of her gubernatorial bid — seeing her as part of the new generation of America First leaders who combine conservative governance with unwavering loyalty to Israel.
A New Republican Star Rising in New York
If elected, Stefanik would become New York’s first female Republican governor and a defining figure in reshaping the state’s political identity.
Her campaign, insiders say, will focus on security, economic revival, and restoring moral clarity — both in New York and in America’s relationship with its allies.
In a state long dominated by Democratic machine politics, Elise Stefanik’s entry into the race signals a political earthquake — and for many Jewish New Yorkers, a beacon of courage against antisemitism and ideological extremism.
