Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of House Republican leadership and onetime nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is considering a run for New York governor, according to a person close to her.
The person was granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The state’s current governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul, was elected in 2022 and is running for reelection next year.
Stefanik, a close ally and fierce defender of President Donald Trump, had been nominated to represent the U.S. at the United Nations. But her nomination was pulled last month amid concerns about leaving a Republican House seat vacant when the party has such a narrow majority in the chamber.
Trump, in a Wednesday morning post on his social media platform Truth Social, wrote, “Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is GREAT!!!”
If Stefanik does enter the race, she might face off in a Republican primary against Rep. Mike Lawler, who has been teasing a run for several months.
Kevin Donohoe, a spokesperson for the Democratic Governors Association, said: “New York’s Republican primary is set to be a nasty and vicious race to see who can be the Trumpiest — and most out of touch with New Yorkers.”
The last Republican governor in New York was former Gov. George Pataki, who served three terms between 1995 and 2007. Lee Zeldin, current head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and former congressman from Long Island, mounted a serious challenge to Hochul in the governor’s race in 2022, nearly landing what would have been a major upset in the heavily Democratic state.
Hochul herself is expected to face a contested primary. Her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, earlier this year announced he would not run for reelection alongside the governor next year, hinting instead at his own gubernatorial candidacy. Rep. Ritchie Torres is also rumored to be considering a run and has emerged as one of the governor’s most pronounced Democratic critics.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.