Elise Stefanik Torches Kathy Hochul in Fiery Campaign Launch: ‘Worst Governor in America’

This has been quite a year for Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who represents New York's 21st congressional district. She started 2025 as the fourth highest ranking member of the Republican House caucus, serving as the GOP conference chair. Soon after Inauguration Day, President Trump came calling and tapped Stefanik to be his ambassador to the United Nations.

Her star was on the rise.

[Cue sound of needle scratching across vinyl album.]

NY Rep. Elise Stefanik Speaks Out After Her UN Nomination As Ambassador Is Pulled

But, then, Stefanik was asked by the president in March to remain in her House seat, and her nomination to be UN ambassador was pulled. It had nothing to do with Stefanik's ability to do the UN job, as RedState reported at the time, but simply came down to the fact that the GOP, with its razor-thin majority in the House, couldn't afford to lose her vote as the Trump agenda began making its way through Capitol Hill.

This may have been the moment Stefanik seriously began to consider her next move. She was "rewarded" for her loyalty to the president and her party with the new title "Chairwoman of House Republican Leadership," but she had to be bristling at how things went down. If you follow Stefanik on social media, you will have noticed that she soon started a sustained attack on New York's Democrat governor, Kathy Hochul, and her destructive policies.

A gubernatorial run looked more and more likely, especially when Stefanik announced she was penning a book for 2026 – that's always a dead giveaway that a big political announcement is forthcoming.

And, now, Stefanik has officially thrown her hat into the ring to be New York's next governor, announcing her candidacy with a slick video and blistering attack on Hochul.

Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America. Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent… pic.twitter.com/HXyQlNIjEj
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 7, 2025

Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America. Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent the knee to the raging Defund the Police, Tax Hiking Communist causing catastrophe for New York families.
I am running for Governor to make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL.
Democrats, Republicans, and Independents will unify to save our state.
It’s time to:
FIRE HOCHUL.
SAVE NEW YORK.🗽🇺🇸

And there is plenty to hit Hochul on. From the video: "Kathy Hochul made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation, crushing families with sky-high taxes, unaffordable rent, soaring energy costs and record-high grocery bills, and cozied up to an anti-police, tax-hiking, anti-semitic communist."

Ouch: Kathy Hochul the Clear Loser in Wild NYC Mayoral Debate Between Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa

Yeah, Kathy Hochul is going to have a big Zohran Mamdani problem to deal with going forward. As RedState's Bob Hoge reported back in September, Hochul took a big political risk and threw her support behind Mamdani. What did she get in return? Nada. Not a peep of support coming back her way from the commie mayor-elect. Here's how Bob put it:

“Comrade Kathy” chose to throw in with an extremist, and she’s already paying the price. All Democrats should take note: Mamdani will be all toothy smiles when he needs you, but when you need him, evidently, you just might see him turning the other way.

If Hochul thinks her Mamdani endorsement will help her win re-election in 2026, a poll from just a few weeks ago may have her thinking twice. The Manhattan Institute found Stefanik garnering 43 percent of support as compared to Hochul's 42 percent. We may have a humdinger of a race on our hands here.

New York has not had a Republican governor since George Pataki left office in 2007.

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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