Overview
- Stefanik formally entered the race with a launch video that centers on affordability and public safety while tying Gov. Kathy Hochul to New York City Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani.
- Her announcement materials criticize Hochul over costs and crime, with the video avoiding explicit references to Trump even as it labels Hochul “the worst governor in America.”
- Republican leaders have largely coalesced behind Stefanik after months of groundwork, though Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has signaled interest in a potential primary challenge.
- Hochul’s campaign and national Democratic groups swiftly attacked Stefanik’s record by highlighting her alignment with Trump and arguing her policies would raise costs for New Yorkers.
- Early polling remains mixed, with Siena showing Hochul well ahead and GOP‑aligned surveys and a Manhattan Institute poll suggesting a closer race in a state that last elected a GOP governor in 2002.