Governor Kathy Hochul made it clear that she’s not worried about a potential 2026 challenge from Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, declaring, “Bring it on!”
During an appearance on CNN, Hochul, who is seeking re-election for a second term, was asked whether she felt threatened by Stefanik’s possible candidacy. She brushed it off, arguing that President Donald Trump has damaged the Republican Party’s image in New York.
“Donald Trump has made sure that the Republican Party brand is so tainted in New York that no matter who runs against me they will have the baggage of explaining why people’s prices went up, why they lost health care, why they lost Medicaid, why they lost education—all to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest,” Hochul said.
She added confidently, “I look forward to that fight. No matter who it is—it’s not settled yet—but I say, ‘Bring it on!’”
Stefanik responded shortly afterward by posting a clip from Hochul’s interview and firing back with her own criticism. She called Hochul “the worst governor in America” and accused her of being “the biggest drag on the ballot in the state of New York.”
“Virtually every Democrat candidate and incumbent knows and acknowledges it,” Stefanik wrote on X. “Even Hochul’s own political and consulting team has privately communicated this behind the scenes.”
According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the matter reported last month that Stefanik is seriously considering entering the 2026 race for governor. Representing a predominantly rural upstate district, Stefanik is one of Trump’s most loyal allies. At one point, she was expected to be nominated as Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, but the idea was abandoned to maintain the Republicans’ narrow House majority.
Recent polling by Siena College shows that Hochul’s approval ratings may be slowly improving. Last month, 48% of New York’s registered voters said they approved of her performance, while 45% expressed disapproval.
“For the first time since January 2024, Hochul has a positive – barely – favorability rating, and for the first time since February 2024, a plurality of voters approves of the job she is doing as governor,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.
{Matzav.com}