Category: New york
‘FIRE HOCHUL’: Stefanik officially launches bid to save New York from the ‘Worst Governor in America’
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) on Friday officially announced her run for governor, challenging incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).
Stefanik called Hochul the “Worst Governor in America” and slammed her for endorsing Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayor-elect.
‘I have a record of flipping a district that was previously held by a Democrat.’
“Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills,” Stefanik wrote Friday in a post on social media. “When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent the knee to the raging Defund the Police, Tax Hiking Communist causing catastrophe for New York families.”
Stefanik vowed that under her leadership, she would “make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL.”
“Democrats, Republicans, and Independents will unify to save our state,” she continued. “It’s time to: FIRE HOCHUL. SAVE NEW YORK.”
Stefanik released a campaign video highlighting New York’s affordability crisis and the influx of crime, prompting middle-class residents to flee the state, which she blamed on Hochul’s failed policies.
RELATED: SHOCK POLL: Republican leads NY Governor Hochul one year before the election
Elise Stefanik. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
On Friday, Stefanik told Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” that “toxic” Hochul “bent the knee” to Mamdani “because she is hemorrhaging support, even in her own party.”
Hochul won by 5.8 points in 2022 against Republican candidate Lee Zeldin, who is now the Environmental Protection Agency administrator under President Donald Trump. The last time New Yorkers elected a Republican governor was in 2002. Despite the long streak of Democrat wins, Stefanik remains unfazed.
“I have a record of flipping a district that was previously held by a Democrat,” Stefanik stated. “I’ve won every primary and general election, and we’ve overperformed — winning not just Republicans but independents and a fair share of Democrats as well — because my record has been delivering results for families, for small businesses, for our veterans, for our farmers.”
Stefanik has secured endorsements from 34 Republican state assembly members and 12 state senators, according to her campaign. New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox also endorsed Stefanik, calling her “a unifier and a party builder with the brains, the guts, and the resources to win statewide next year.”
RELATED: Trump slams Hochul’s endorsement of ‘communist’ Mamdani: ‘No reason to be sending good money’
Kathy Hochul. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Hochul’s campaign fired back at Stefanik, describing her as a “sellout” because she has been Trump’s “number-one cheerleader in Congress and his right-hand woman in his war on New York.” The governor’s campaign accused the lawmaker of “gutting health care, jacking up costs with expensive tariffs, and cutting funding for our police, schools, and hospitals.”
“Apparently, screwing over New Yorkers in Congress wasn’t enough — now she’s trying to bring Trump’s chaos and skyrocketing costs to our state. While Stefanik puts Trump first and New York last, Governor Hochul is lowering costs, cutting middle-class taxes, and fighting for the New Yorkers Stefanik abandoned,” Hochul’s campaign communications director Sarafina Chitika said.
Blaze News contacted the campaigns of Stefanik and Hochul for comment but did not receive a response.
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SHOCK POLL: Republican leads NY Governor Hochul one year before the election
New York City voters may be on a different page than the rest of the state.
Despite Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani maintaining a significant advantage in the polls ahead of the NYC mayoral election, one Republican is looking to flip the state red next year.
For example, 60% of registered voters in New York … either strongly support or somewhat support returning to the pre-2019 bail laws.
RealClearPolitics has Mamdani boasting a 15-point lead average across the last six polls in October. With around 46 points, Mamdani’s lead has only widened since July.
In new numbers from the Manhattan Institute, the Democratic socialist and alleged communist maintains that lead over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a former Democrat now representing the Fight and Deliver Party.
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa is third, 24 points behind Mamdani and nine points behind Cuomo.
At the same time, however, pollsters asked respondents how they would vote if the 2026 N.Y. gubernatorial election were held today.
Shockingly, Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) held a slim margin over Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul. Stefanik’s lead was just one point, 43% to 42%, while “someone else” had 9% support, and “not sure” was at 7%.
RELATED: LGBTQ champion Zohran Mamdani faces backlash over photo with ‘anti-homosexuality’ Ugandan lawmaker
Photo by Andres Kudacki/Getty Images
Stefanik’s team responded to the news:
“In a heavily Democrat-leaning state, an independent poll that is heavily weighted toward registered Democrat voters shows Republican Elise Stefanik leading Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul in a head-to-head matchup,” Stefanik’s spokesperson Bernadette Breslin said in a press release.
Breslin said it was the first time in decades that any Republican candidate for governor of New York has polled ahead of a Democrat incumbent.
The remarks continued, “In a decision that she will come to regret, Kathy Hochul lives up to her title as the worst governor in America when she chose to bend the knee and put New Yorkers LAST by desperately endorsing the defund the police, tax-hiking, raging anti-Semite socialist Zohran Mamdani who will destroy New York.”
Though rumors have swirled for months that Stefanik intends to run for governor, she has not formally announced her candidacy. Reports indicate that she will announce sometime after the November 4 election.
RELATED: Cuomo narrows gap in new poll
Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images
While Mamdani maintains a strong lead in the city, some of his progressive policy positions range from somewhat unpopular to widely unpopular in updated polling.
For example, 60% of registered voters in New York, including 49% of Democrats, either strongly support or somewhat support returning to the pre-2019 bail laws. This pertains to allowing individuals to be “released until trial rather than being held.”
Mamdani has said he wants to reduce the jail population, specifically at Rikers Island.
One of Mamdani’s biggest promises, free bus services, saw 58% of New York City respondents oppose the idea. This figure included 48% of Democrats. Meanwhile, 42% of Democrats agreed with the idea that eliminating fares would make public transit more affordable and efficient for working New Yorkers while reducing conflicts between riders and operators.
Other topics — like New York’s gifted and talented programs, corporate taxation, and fare evasion — were covered in polling conducted with 600 likely voters in the NYC mayoral election and 300 registered voters across New York state between October 22 and 26. The poll was weighted to reflect the electorate.
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Hochul says she thought ‘tax the rich’ chant was ‘let’s go Bills’
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Monday that she thought a “tax the rich” chant at a Sunday rally for New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was “Let’s go Bills” instead, referencing the NFL team the Buffalo Bills. “Given the reception you received last night at Zohran’s rally, where people were chanting, ‘tax…
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