Overview
- Stefanik officially filed and launched her campaign with a two-and-a-half minute video focused on affordability and public safety while tying Gov. Kathy Hochul to NYC mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani.
- The launch video omits any mention of President Donald Trump even as Stefanik remains one of his closest allies and a prominent national GOP figure.
- Hochul’s team and Democratic groups responded immediately with ads branding Stefanik as Trump’s “top ally,” with the governor posting, “bring it on.”
- Her campaign announced endorsements from New York GOP chair Ed Cox and more than half of county Republican chairs, with Cox predicting no primary even as Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signals interest.
- The contest begins in a Democratic-leaning state that has not elected a Republican governor since 2002, and recent polls diverge sharply on how competitive the race may be.