Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik officially entered the 2026 race for governor of New York on Friday, setting up a high-stakes showdown with incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul.
Stefanik, a staunch defender of President Donald Trump, launched her campaign with a video calling Hochul "the worst governor in America" and pledging to "clean up the catastrophe" she claims Democrats have created in Albany. Associated Press reported that Stefanik's announcement follows months of speculation about her political future.
