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Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has suspended her campaign for Governor of New York.
The New York Republican also said she will not seek re-election for her congressional seat.
“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 overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all across the state for our campaign to Save New York,” Stefanik said.
“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,” she continued.
“And 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 added.
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
More from the New York Post:
Rumors swirled among Empire State Republican circles earlier Friday that the staunch ally of President Trump would ultimately not challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s re-election bid.
The decision by Stefanik will spare a likely bruising gubernatorial primary battle with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman over who’ll be the Republican standard bearer in 2026’s election.
Hochul held solid leads over both Stefanik and Blakeman in a recent poll, despite over half of New Yorkers saying they want a new governor.
Trump had pointedly remained neutral in the emerging primary battle between Stefanik and Blakeman.
“My gut tells me this is not the right political time,” Stefanik told one reporter, according to New York Magazine.
“This is not the right sort of array of things lining up — which is so difficult in New York, which is just incredibly difficult in a picture-perfect year — let alone with a primary and everything else,” she added.
“I have a 4-year-old son, and that is a priority for our family,” Stefanik told the reporter.
Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik says she is dropping out of the New York governor’s race and will not run for reelection to the House after finishing her term in office.
“My gut tells me this is not the right political time,” Stefanik tells reporter Ben Jacobs. “This is… pic.twitter.com/48fHAiC3i2
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) December 19, 2025
New York Magazine shared further:
Though the six-term representative believes she would have crushed Blakeman in a primary, “we viewed it as a waste of resources,” she says, pointing to how in 2022 the Republican nominee for governor, Lee Zeldin, had to spend $7 million in a relatively uncompetitive primary that left him at a disadvantage against Governor Kathy Hochul. Stefanik allies derided Blakeman’s candidacy as quixotic and “a vanity campaign,” saying it was tantamount to a murder-suicide against Republicans that would guarantee Hochul’s reelection in November.
As congressman and former state GOP chair Nick Langworthy put it, “In New York, you’re fighting a primary for a 20 percent chance to win in a perfect scenario.” Blakeman’s challenge ensured that a perfect scenario would not come to pass.
“It’s going to be a challenging environment, much more challenging than 2022, and the idea of running to the right [in a primary] to then turn around and run to beat the Democrats is a fool’s errand,” he added.
Stefanik’s decision adds to the challenging political landscape for Republicans in New York, where there are a half-dozen competitive House races next year. Republicans will also lose a prodigious fundraiser: She had banked over $12 million to run for governor before her announcement in November, drawing from donors across the country, with more expected to come.