Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has announced her withdrawal from the race for governor of New York State, and will not seek re-election to Congress.
Her announcement comes days after Republican Bruce Blakeman, a close ally of Donald Trump like Stefanik, announced that he intends to challenge her in the upcoming primary in the 2026 governor’s race.
Stefanik announced her bid to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in early November.
In an X post on Friday, Stefanik said that while she believes she would have won the primary, spending the first half of next year on an unnecessary, drawn-out campaign is not an efficient use of our time or your generous resources.
She said in a lengthy statement that she wanted time to focus on her family.
“I believe that being a parent is life’s greatest gift and greatest responsibility,” she said.
“I have thought deeply about this matter and know that, as a mother, I would deeply regret it if I had not focused more on my little boy’s safety, development and happiness – especially at his young age.”
Blakeman, a two-term Republican executive in Nassau County, on Long Island, New York, announced his candidacy for governor earlier this month, setting up a primary clash with Stefanik.
A spokesman for New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s campaign said on Friday that Stefanik had “finally come to terms” with the fact that she would lose the race against her.
Ryan Radulowski added, “Hochul’s message to him [Blakeman] Or whatever servant Trump chooses to run against, it’s a simple matter: do it.”
President Trump has taken no position ahead of an expected tough primary, recently telling reporters: “They’re great people. We have a lot of great people in the Republican Party.”
On Truth Social on Friday, he said Stefanik is a “tremendous talent,” adding that he’s “with her all the way” no matter what she does.
Stefanik, 41, has represented New York’s 21st Congressional District, which lies north of Albany and includes the Adirondack Mountains, since 2014.
She has been a staunch ally of Trump, emerging as one of his most vocal supporters during his first impeachment in 2019.
In his second term, Trump initially nominated her for the position of Ambassador to the United Nations but withdrew her nomination due to considerations regarding the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives.
The last Republican governor of New York, George Pataki, served until 2007.