Overview

• Speaking on ABC 7’s Up Close, Hochul said a Republican governor aligned with Trump would cede significant control over state affairs to the president.
• She cautioned that federal Medicaid reductions approved by New York’s Republican delegation could leave roughly 1.5 million residents uninsured and harm care quality.
• Although Elise Stefanik has not formally declared her 2026 bid, GOP Rep. Mike Lawler’s exit from the primary has fueled expectations of her candidacy.
• Hochul slammed Stefanik’s post–Midtown shooting attack on Zohran Mamdani as “pathetic” opportunism unfit for someone seeking the governorship.
• Stefanik’s close ties to Trump and rising national profile have made her the presumptive Republican challenger in a state without a GOP governor since 2002.