Stefanik exits NY governor race, will not run for re-election to US House

[mystery-ak]

Stefanik exits NY governor race, will not run for re-election to US House
The decision comes just over a month after launching bid to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul
By Louis Casiano Fox News
Published December 19, 2025 4:30pm EST

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., on Friday announced that she is ending her bid for governor and will not seek re-election, just over a month after launching her campaign.

In a message posted to X, Stefanik cited her family as her reason for stepping out of the race to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress. I did not come to this decision lightly for our family," she wrote on X.

"And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom," she added. "I believe that being a parent is life's greatest gift and greatest responsibility. I have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don't further focus on my young son's safety, growth, and happiness - particularly at his tender age."

In her message, Stefanik thanked her supporters for their donations but said it wouldn't be an "effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York."

more
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/stefanik-exits-ny-governor-race-not-run-reelection-us-house

[mystery-ak]

Hmmm...I wonder if this has anything to do with Trump not endorsing her...

[Timber Rattler]

Yep, Trump screwed her over...

Flashback to March:

Trump withdraws Elise Stefanik's nomination to be UN ambassador

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rnge7ql7wo

President Donald Trump has pulled the nomination of New York Rep Elise Stefanik to serve as the US ambassador to the United Nations.

Announcing his decision in a post on social media, Trump said it was essential that Stefanik retain her seat in the House of Representatives to protect Republicans' razor-thin majority.

"I don't want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise's seat," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations."

Calling her one of his biggest allies, the president said Stefanik would rejoin the House leadership team.

[jmyrlefuller]

Translation: she had an affair.

[Fishrrman]

She never had a chance for the governor's seat.

I'll predict that it's highly unlikely that any Republican can be elected governor in New York state again. The votes that might have elected one, have in good numbers gone South, literally.

The state is getting bluer, with no chance of goin' back.

[Timber Rattler]

Translation: she had an affair.

Nah, I don't think that is it at all.  I think that after that bad poll came out showing Hochul beating Stefanik by 19 points, Trump's people told her that he only backs winners and that no further help would be forthcoming, despite whatever promises were previously made when he pulled her UN nomination.  That's the Trump way!

So this is NOT a coincidence, from just two days ago:

Stefanik trails Hochul by 19 points in new poll of 2026 governor’s race

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/adirondacks-almanack/stefanik-trails-hochul-by-19-points-in-new-poll-of-2026-governors-race/

And nobody is buying her typical BS excuse about spending more time with family when she's been nothing but an ambitious pit bull in Congress up to now.

[jmyrlefuller]

Nah, I don't think that is it at all.  I think that after that bad poll came out showing Hochul beating Stefanik by 19 points, Trump's people told her that he only backs winners and that no further help would be forthcoming, despite whatever promises were previously made when he pulled her UN nomination.  That's the Trump way!

So this is NOT a coincidence, from just two days ago:

Stefanik trails Hochul by 19 points in new poll of 2026 governor’s race

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/adirondacks-almanack/stefanik-trails-hochul-by-19-points-in-new-poll-of-2026-governors-race/

And nobody is buying her typical BS excuse about spending more time with family when she's been nothing but an ambitious pit bull in Congress up to now.

That's been true of all New York gubernatorial races, though. Siena in particular loves to scare off anyone who dares challenge the regime because Steve Greenberg, who runs that poll, is an agent of the state Democrats. Guess which poll the media loves to quote all the time? Siena.

And Trump, the same guy who backed Cuomo's campaign, who gladly went along with funding Cuomo's horrendous abuses of power and lockdowns... he doesn't want a Republican who might outshine him.

I'm sick and tired of it. The Republican Party has been so feckless and pathetic that they've let this state go to literal Hell and done NOTHING to help those of us left behind.

[Timber Rattler]

Another flashback:

Stefanik Saw Her Cabinet Dream Dashed. She Blames the Speaker, Not the President.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/us/politics/elise-stefanik-trump-johnson-cabinet.html

Styrofoam packing peanuts littered an empty office in the Rayburn House Office Building across from the Capitol on Monday morning as two moving men unpacked a plush couch, an upholstered armchair, lamps and a lucite side table.

Representative Elise Stefanik of New York was back.

This had not been the plan.

Ms. Stefanik, the self-proclaimed “ultra MAGA” warrior whom President Trump nominated to serve as ambassador to the United Nations, had expected to sail through her Senate confirmation vote, which was to be scheduled in early April.

So she boxed up her office. She sent off her longtime chief of staff, Patrick Hester, to start a new job at the State Department, where he ended up working for seven days. She completed a “farewell tour” of her district, checked out schools for her son in New York City and was looking forward to moving into the $15 million Manhattan penthouse that comes with what is considered a fairly cushy job.

Instead, Ms. Stefanik was back here on Capitol Hill amid the peanuts, contemplating her next steps and pinning most of the blame for what happened on Speaker Mike Johnson.

(snip)

In early April, when a White House official called Ms. Stefanik to whip her vote on the president’s budget, she expressed frustration that the speaker had yet to deliver on any of the promises Mr. Johnson had made to her on an earlier three-way call with Mr. Trump after the withdrawal of her nomination.

EXCERPT

[Kamaji]

Trump is certainly doing what he can to increase the democrats' odds of taking over both houses of Congress in 2026.

[mystery-ak]

Inside Stefanik’s exit and how the Trump endorsement that never came was 'biggest piece' of the 'puzzle'
Stefanik announced on Friday she is suspending her campaign for governor, citing the 'resources' needed in a GOP primary

By Andrew Mark Miller Fox News
Published December 20, 2025 10:30am EST

FIRST ON FOX: Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s surprise announcement on Friday night that she is dropping out of the race for New York governor and leaving her seat in Congress was partly due to lack of full support from President Trump, Fox News Digital has learned.

"The biggest piece of this puzzle was Donald Trump and the fact that he passed three times on endorsing her candidacy, including in the Oval Office with the Miracle on Ice Team last week," a GOP source close to the situation told Fox News Digital. "I think [that] played the largest role in this decision."

Stefanik’s original thought process when she jumped into the race last month, according to the source, was that she would have a "clear shot" at current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. But once Trump ally and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced his candidacy earlier this month, "it became clear that was not going to happen."

"When you start to add these things up, and you see a contested primary, you see an assumed ally in the president who passes on endorsing, and it does not seem that you're going to have the wind to your back in this cycle. I think [it] all played into this," the source said.

Stefanik’s decision to also leave Congress was based on a feeling that it was time to "move on," the source said.

"I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all across the state for our campaign to Save New York," Stefanik posted on X Friday afternoon.

"However, as we have seen in past elections, while we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York."

more
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/inside-stefaniks-exit-and-how-the-trump-endorsement-that-never-came-was-biggest-piece-of-the-puzzle

[jmyrlefuller]

The worst part is that Bruce Blakeman is an old, tired retread of a politician who has run for statewide office at least twice (I seem to recall a third but I think I'm thinking of a legislative seat, not a statewide one) and lost miserably.

[Timber Rattler]

"The biggest piece of this puzzle was Donald Trump and the fact that he passed three times on endorsing her candidacy, including in the Oval Office with the Miracle on Ice Team last week," a GOP source close to the situation told Fox News Digital. "I think [that] played the largest role in this decision."

Stefanik’s original thought process when she jumped into the race last month, according to the source, was that she would have a "clear shot" at current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. But once Trump ally and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced his candidacy earlier this month, "it became clear that was not going to happen."

Yep, she a took a big hit for the team back in March when Trump yanked her UN nomination and ambassadorship (a big promotion from Congress) on Mike Johnson's behalf, with consolation promises apparently made to return her to GOP leadership in the House and a clear road with Trump's full endorsement and resources for the NY governor's run.  As usual Johnson lied to her and slow walked her return to leadership, while Trump just ignored her, as he usually does after using somebody.

I guess his congressional supporters have finally learned, like MTG and others who are leaving, that loyalty and gratitude only runs one way with Trump.

Now he's going to lose at the least the House in 2026, and will be repeatedly impeached again and again for the remainder of his term.  Serves him right for being so incompetent in managing his legislative team on the Hill.

And Johnson wonders why nobody in his own conference trusts him?  Case in point...

 

[Right_in_Virginia]

Stefanik wouldn't win the governorship in New York, period.

A Trump endorsement was assumed by her, not promised to her. As for congress, she would have moved back into congressional leadership with the new Congress, regardless of majority/minority status.. 

But, younger Republican political women lack stamina --- it's now or the highway.  When donors figure this out, they'll return to supporting male candidates in the next cycles, further hurting the party with women.   

[Timber Rattler]

Stefanik wouldn't win the governorship in New York, period.

Well I guess we'll never know now.

A Trump endorsement was assumed by her, not promised to her.

That's nonsense.

As for congress, she would have moved back into congressional leadership with the new Congress, regardless of majority/minority status.. 

But that didn't happen, which was the source of her fierce anger against Johnson.  He promised but never delivered.

But, younger Republican political women lack stamina --- it's now or the highway.  When donors figure this out, they'll return to supporting male candidates in the next cycles, further hurting the party with women.   

What a sexist thing to say...   

[mystery-ak]

 Trump endorses GOP’s Blakeman for New York governor a day after Stefanik exits race
by Ian Swanson - 12/20/25 5:11 PM ET

President Trump on Saturday evening endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for governor of New York, one day after Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) surprisingly exited the race and announced she would not seek reelection to Congress.

Trump did not mention Stefanik in his Saturday post on Truth Social endorsing Blakeman.

“Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning,” he wrote, extolling the Nassau official’s work with border officials and police.

“Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!“

Stefanik has been a close ally of Trump’s, and was a nominee at the beginning of the year to serve as the Trump administration’s representative to the United Nations.

Trump withdrew that nomination as Republicans became concerned over their party’s narrow majority in the House, fearing they would need Stefanik’s vote and could not survive her absence for the campaign.

Trump had previously not offered an endorsement in the New York governor’s race.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5658614-trump-endorses-blakeman-ny-governor/

[Timber Rattler]

Trump did not mention Stefanik in his Saturday post on Truth Social endorsing Blakeman.

That tells you everything you need to know right there.  He never had any intention of endorsing Stefanik despite her being the ultimate team player.

[mystery-ak]

 How Trump’s non-endorsement demoralized Stefanik and drove her to end her campaign for governor: sources
By Geoff Earle   
Published Dec. 20, 2025, 1:10 p.m. ET

Shocked New York Republicans said Rep. Elise Stefanik likely decided to end her gubernatorial campaign after President Trump hedged his endorsement — raising the prospect of her eventual defeat.

It was the second major let-down for the upstate Republican and loyal Trump backer, and prompted her to end her bid for Albany just weeks after her Nov. 7 campaign launch, despite leading in the polls.

The key moment came last week, when Trump publicly called Stefanik and primary challenger Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman – his longtime friend – “two fantastic people” in response to a question by The Post.

He underlined his neutrality by hosting each of them separately at the White House in the days that followed – inviting Blakeman to a White House Hanukkah reception Tuesday.

“That has to be demoralizing when you kind of hitch your wagon to him and then he doesn’t come out and emphatically endorse you,” one New York Republican operative told The Post.

more
https://nypost.com/2025/12/20/us-news/how-trumps-divided-loyalties-sapped-stefaniks-campaign/

[Kamaji]

Just goes to show:  Only fools and idiots trust Trump.