Overview

• Hochul warned on ABC 7 that a Stefanik victory would give President Trump near-unlimited sway over New York’s government, calling her a ‘puppet.’
• Stefanik’s campaign responded by denouncing Hochul’s redistricting remarks as voter suppression and branding her the ‘worst governor in America.’
• In the same interview, Hochul criticized Stefanik’s comments on the Midtown Manhattan shooting and renewed her call for a federal ban on assault weapons.
• Hochul cautioned that Trump-backed Medicaid cuts endorsed by New York Republicans could leave 1.5 million residents uninsured, a claim Stefanik’s team countered by pointing to her rural healthcare initiatives.
• With Stefanik leading early GOP primary polls and recent statewide races tightening, New York’s 2026 governor’s contest is evolving into a competitive battle.