Elise Stefanik plans to launch bid for New York governor

By Annie Grayer, Arlette Saenz, CNN

(CNN) — GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik plans to launch a bid for New York governor in November and has hired a number of key senior aides, a source familiar with the planning told CNN.

Stefanik, who served in House GOP leadership, is one of President Donald Trump’s key allies on Capitol Hill and has long been foreshadowing a challenge to New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026.

The New York Republican has told allies that she plans on formally entering the race shortly after New York City’s mayoral election on Tuesday.

Axios was first to report on Stefanik’s plans.

With more than a combined $13 million cash on hand, Stefanik has tapped a number of former Trump advisers and longtime aides who worked in finance, communications and operations roles to help launch her campaign.

Trump’s 2024 campaign strategist, Tony Fabrizio, will be Stefanik’s pollster; the senior adviser who ran a key pro-Trump super PAC, Chris Grant, will serve as an adviser for Stefanik; and another Trump 2024 campaign official, Tim Sale, will also join the campaign, the source told CNN.

Stefanik’s longtime adviser Alex deGrasse will serve as the campaign’s chief strategist and CFO while Stefanik’s chief of staff, Patrick Hester, will also be involved, the source added.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration pulled Stefanik’s nomination to be US ambassador to the United Nations amid concerns over slim margins in the US House of Representatives.

Fellow New York GOP Rep. Mike Lawler had been weighing a gubernatorial bid as well but ultimately announced his plans to remain in the House after Trump had made it clear that he would prefer for the two-term congressman to remain in the narrowly divided House rather than risk losing his competitive GOP seat.

As she has prepared for a gubernatorial bid, Stefanik has positioned herself to take on Hochul on multiple fronts, from her views on immigrants to her endorsement of Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City. In a congressional hearing in June, the pair clashed over Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to California.

Stefanik questioned Hochul over New York’s sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants, providing a potential preview of next year’s gubernatorial race in the Empire State.

In May during a CNN interview when asked about a potential match up against Stefanik, Hochul said, “I look forward to that fight. No matter who it is, it’s not settled yet, but I say bring it on.”

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