Stefanik drops out of N.Y. Governor Race and announces exit from Congress

New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik announced on Friday that she is ending her gubernatorial campaign and will not seek re-election to Congress.

In a post on X, Stefanik expressed that the choice was a difficult one for her and her family.

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.

I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and…

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) December 19, 2025

“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.”  

 

“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.”

The unexpected announcement reverberated among Stefanik’s allies.

At 41, she had secured endorsements from nearly all 62 county committee chairs and had publicly belittled Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate who was positioned to face Stefanik, when he formally entered the race last week.

 

She emphasized that she hopes to spend more time with her family, particularly her young son.

“While many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom. 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,” she wrote.

Following his November 2024 election win, Trump nominated her as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, reporting her as a “strong” and “smart” individual for his “American First” agenda. However, Trump later requested she withdraw from consideration due to the Republican Party’s narrow majority in the house. Stefanik happily stepped down, stating she was proud to be a team player.

 

Stefanik’s decision to leave congress will open up her upstate New York district. At a White House event last week, Trump praised Stefanik’s hard work for the nation.

“She’s running for a little position called governor of New York, and she’s got a hell of a shot at it,” Trump said about Stefanik. “That’s all I can see. I see polls that look very good, and we could use you in New York. She’s got a little competition with a very good Republican, but she’s a great Republican, so we’ll see what happens, but at least it’s respected by everybody. We appreciate it.”

The President also reacted to Stefanik’s announcement shortly after it was made public on a post on Truth Social.

 

“Elise Stefanik, a fantastic person and Congresswoman from New York State, has just announced she won’t be running for Governor. Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!”

Her departure adds to the trend of prominent Republican women exiting the House, following Marjorie Taylor Greene’s announcement that she will step down in January.