New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik will launch her gubernatorial campaign against Gov. Kathy Hochul Friday, The Post has learned.
“We have crisscrossed the state. The overwhelming outpouring of support from Republicans, independents, and Democrats is that we need a new governor to save our state,” Stefanik told The Post.
“She owns the catastrophe from top to bottom,” the North Country pol said in a swipe at Hochul and new Big Apple Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who are in Puerto Rico for the annual SOMOS political retreat.
The prominent upstate congresswoman — a fierce ally of President Trump — is expected to make the highly-anticipated announcement in a video.
Stefanik said that her gubernatorial bid — which could make her the first Republican leader of the Empire State in 20 years – -will be “focused on making New York affordable” and “safe again.”
“New York State is single-party Democrat rule,” she said. “Under Kathy Hochul’s failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation, with the highest taxes, highest utility and energy prices, highest rent, and it’s why people are leaving in mass exodus.”
Stefanik continued her recent attacks tying Hochul and Mamdani, saying about her soon-to-be opponent: ” owns this disaster mayor who barely broke 50%. … He is a socialist, he is a defund the police, communist, anti-Semite, pro-Hamas, and Kathy Hochul hasn’t condemned a single statement he has made.”
“She owns this lock, stock and barrel. She also owns his position where he said he wants to raise taxes,” Stefanik said.
“Kathy Hochul has bent the knee to the defund-the-police communist in New York City,” Stefanik said. “She owns failed bail reform, where violent criminals are being released on our streets, wreaking havoc across communities.
“What is most interesting is after Kathy Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani, we have been flooded with traditional Democrats who have said enough is enough, we are not supporting Kathy Hochul. We want you to run and then of course the overwhelming support of Republicans.”
