In a significant political development, Elise Stefanik, a top ally of former US President Donald Trump and a senior House Republican, has announced her decision to leave politics. She will not run for Governor of New York and will also not seek re-election to Congress.
A Surprise Exit from the Political Arena
Stefanik, who chairs the House Republican Conference and is the fourth-ranking member in the House of Representatives, made her announcement on Friday. She stated she is "bowing out of politics to spend more time with family." This move includes halting the gubernatorial campaign she launched in November 2023 and forgoing another term in the House of Representatives.
When her current term representing New York’s 21st congressional district expires in January 2027, she will have completed 12 years in office on Capitol Hill. Stefanik, who was the youngest woman ever elected to the House in 2014, had become a prominent figure, especially after moving sharply to the right following Trump's 2016 victory.
Primary Pressure and Family First
Her decision followed a holiday advertising campaign by her Republican rival in the gubernatorial primary, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, who is also a Trump ally. Blakeman aired ads on Fox News in West Palm Beach, Florida, near Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.
President Trump had previously expressed concern about having to choose between two allies to challenge New York’s incumbent Democratic Governor, Kathy Hochul, in November 2025. While confident she would have won the primary, Stefanik said, "it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York."
In her announcement, Stefanik emphasised her role as a mother. "I believe that being a parent is life’s greatest gift and greatest responsibility," she wrote, adding that she would feel "profound regret" if she didn't focus more on her young son's well-being.
Political Repercussions and Reactions
Shortly after her announcement, Donald Trump acknowledged her on his Truth Social platform, writing, "Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!"
Stefanik's political career saw her lead efforts to question elite US universities over their handling of campus protests related to the Gaza war. At the start of Trump's second term in January 2025, he nominated her as Ambassador to the United Nations, but withdrew the nomination due to concerns about the Republican party's narrow House majority.
Despite a political shift in New York that saw it move more toward Trump between the 2020 and 2024 elections, Democrats maintained strength in key areas. Stefanik's own district is not considered competitive for the 2026 midterms, where the Democratic party will aim to retake control of the House.
Governor Kathy Hochul, 67, who assumed office in 2021 after Andrew Cuomo's resignation and won a full term in 2022, now faces a potentially clearer path in the upcoming election with a major Republican contender stepping aside.
