Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced Friday that she is ending her bid for New York governor, saying a prolonged and potentially contentious Republican primary could weaken the party’s prospects in a difficult statewide contest. Her decision comes as President Trump has indicated he is not prepared to endorse a candidate at this stage.
In a message to supporters, Stefanik argued that a drawn-out primary would drain time and resources without strengthening Republicans for the general election.
“While we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,” she wrote.
Stefanik’s next political move is uncertain. She said she does not plan to seek re-election to Congress. Widely seen as a rising MAGA-aligned figure, she was expected to leave the House after Mr. Trump selected her in November 2024 to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. But the administration later withdrew her nomination in March, citing concerns about the shrinking Republican margin in the House.
Two sources told CBS News that Stefanik spoke directly with President Trump on Thursday to discuss her decision to leave the race. The New York Times first reported the call.
After Stefanik’s announcement, Mr. Trump issued a statement praising her as “a fantastic person and Congresswoman from New York State” and “a tremendous talent.” He added that she would have “great success” in whatever she pursues next and signaled continued support.
A Republican member of Congress with direct knowledge of the race told CBS News that Stefanik ultimately concluded a contested primary could become difficult and damaging—even if she was likely to win. Her most prominent potential rival is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, another Trump ally.
New York GOP rules require candidates to win at least 25% of the weighted vote at the state party’s February convention to qualify for the June primary ballot, or otherwise submit nominating petitions. Stefanik was believed to have early support comfortably above that threshold—possibly exceeding 75% due to endorsements from local party leaders—yet Republicans told CBS News that a challenge from Blakeman still risked turning into a costly intraparty fight.
The eventual Republican nominee is expected to face Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. New York has not elected a Republican governor since 2002, but Hochul’s 2022 victory by 6.4 percentage points renewed GOP interest in the race and fueled arguments that Democrats could be more vulnerable than usual.
Stefanik told New York Magazine on Friday that the broader political landscape—and the mechanics of a primary—made the moment less favorable.
“My gut tells me this is not the right political time,” she said. “This is not the sort of array of things lining up — which is so difficult in New York, which is incredibly difficult in a picture-perfect year–let alone with a primary and everything else.”
She also cited personal considerations. “We viewed it as a waste of resources,” she said, adding, “I have a 4-year old son, and that is a priority for our family.”
A senior House Republican official said Stefanik was also frustrated that Mr. Trump declined to endorse her early, which her allies believed could have discouraged other Republicans from entering the race and reduced the risk of a divisive primary.
Sources familiar with the matter said Mr. Trump called Blakeman after he entered the race, and expressed that he disliked seeing “good Republicans” running against each other—though he did not directly ask Blakeman to step aside, according to those sources. The New York Times first reported details of the call.
On Dec. 10, Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House that he was reluctant to intervene publicly because of his relationships with both candidates and his concern that a contentious primary could cause lasting damage.
“First of all, he’s a friend. She’s a friend,” Mr. Trump said. “These are two great people running. In a way, I hate to see them running against each other. I hope they’re not going to be damaging each other.”
He added, “Elise is fantastic, and Bruce is. They’re two fantastic people, and I always hate it when two very good friends of mine are running.”
Pointing to the state GOP convention, he said, “I think you’ll know pretty much at the end of February what’s going to happen. And I’ll probably have to, you know, do what I want to do.”
“We have two very talented people. Either one should win against the Democrats,” he added.
After Stefanik ended her campaign, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Stefanik’s record, calling her “an incredible advocate” for her Upstate New York district and “a true friend” to Mr. Trump. Leavitt—who previously served as a top adviser to Stefanik—said Stefanik is “a great leader, and an even better person.”
Stefanik, who serves in House Republican leadership and is one of Mr. Trump’s closest allies in Congress, had been viewed by New York Republicans as a strong potential candidate given her national profile and fundraising operation, including more than $12 million raised.
Still, the path in deep-blue New York remains steep. A recent Siena College poll showed Hochul holding a double-digit lead over both Stefanik and Blakeman at this stage of the race.
