Elise Stefanik, close ally of Trump, announces run for governor of New York

In her video, a narrator declares that “the imperial state has fallen” as she paints a bleak picture of urban, liberal leadership and life in New York City, though the message seems to be aimed at audiences in other, more conservative parts of the state.

Her nomination sets up a potential battle with Gov. Kathy Hochul, a centrist Democrat, although both candidates will first have to clear any intra-party rivals before next November’s election.

Stefanik, 41, has teased his candidacy for months, often criticizing Hochul, 67, as “the worst governor in America.” She also attacked Hochul for endorsing rising democratic socialist Zahran Mamdani, who is now the elected mayor of New York City.

Stefanik said in a written statement that she is running to make “New York more affordable and safe for families across our great state.”

“Our campaign will unite Republicans, Democrats and independents to fire Kathy Hochul once and for all to save New York,” she said.

Hochul’s campaign released its own attack ad on Friday against the Republican, calling it “Sellout Stefanik,” blaming it for enabling Trump’s tariffs and cuts in federal funding for education and health care.

“Apparently, screwing over New Yorkers in congress wasn’t enough — now she’s trying to bring Trump’s chaos and high costs to our state,” said Sarafina Chitica, Hochul’s campaign spokeswoman.

Stefanik, who represented a conservative congressional district in upstate New York, was once a pragmatic, moderate Republican who avoided saying Trump’s name, simply calling him “my party’s presidential nominee.”

But in recent years she has remade herself into a brash disciple and ardent advocate of Trump’s MAGA movement, rising through the ranks of the congressional GOP hierarchy as she adapts to Trump’s political style.

Last year, Stefanik was nominated to become the president’s ambassador to the United Nations, though her nomination was later withdrawn over concerns about her party’s narrow margins in the House of Representatives. She then began moving toward a run for governor, and quickly received public approval from Trump.

Its advertising video, titled “From the Ashes,” portrays New York City as a dangerous place plagued by “immigrant crime” and economic crisis, and blames Kathy Hochul’s “failed policies,” while urgent, ominous music plays in the background.

New York City police officials have long touted a decline in crime, and said this week that the city is in its eighth straight quarter of decline in major crime.

The GOP primary field remains unclear heading into the 2026 race.

On Long Island, Bruce Blackman, the Republican executive of Nassau County, said he is considering a run for governor. He said in a statement on Friday that he had “tremendous respect” for Stefanik but that the Republican Party needed to nominate a candidate with “broad appeal to independents and common-sense Democrats.”

“The party should nominate the candidate who has the best chance of defeating Kathy Hochul, and business, community and political leaders across the state have urged me to run and I am seriously considering it,” said Blackman, who easily won re-election to another four-year term on Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler had considered running but decided instead to seek re-election in the battleground House district in the Hudson Valley.

Hochul faces a contested primary, with her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, running against her.

Democrats have a huge advantage in voter registration in New York. The state’s last Republican governor was former Gov. George Pataki, who left office about two decades ago.

However, Republican Lee Zeldin, a former Long Island congressman and current head of the Environmental Protection Agency, has made a serious run for the position in 2022, coming close to drawing Hochul’s ire. ___

AP writer Philip Marcelo contributed to this report.