Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik dropped out of the New York governor’s race Friday, concluding that a potentially fractious GOP primary could hurt Republicans’ chances in an uphill statewide contest, as President Trump signaled he would not make an endorsement at this stage.
Stefanik pointed to the risks in a statement to supporters, writing: “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.”
Stefanik’s political future is now unclear, as she said she is not planning to run for re-election in Congress. Stefanik, considered a rising MAGA leader, was initially set to leave Congress after Mr. Trump picked her in November 2024 for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, before her nomination was pulled by the administration in March over concerns about a narrowing Republican majority in the House.
Two sources confirmed to CBS News that Stefanik spoke directly with President Trump on Thursday to discuss her decision to leave the gubernatorial race. Their conversation was first reported by The New York Times.
Mr. Trump later issued a statement following her announcement applauding Stefanik, calling her “a fantastic person and Congresswoman from New York State” and describing her as “a tremendous talent.” He said she would have “great success” in whatever she chooses next and signaled his continued support.
A Republican member of Congress with direct knowledge of the race told CBS News they believed Stefanik ultimately concluded that a contested Republican primary would be difficult and potentially damaging, even if she were likely to win. The other major candidate is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, another Trump ally.
Under New York GOP rules, candidates must secure 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.
While Stefanik was believed to have early support representing well above that threshold — possibly more than 75% of the weighted vote due to early endorsements from local party officials — New York Republicans told CBS News that a challenge from Blakeman still risked becoming a prolonged intraparty fight.
The eventual nominee is expected to face off against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. New York hasn’t elected a Republican governor since 2002, though Hochul won her 2022 race by a single-digit margin of 6.4 percentage points, which spurred renewed interest among Republicans who viewed the result as a sign of potential Democratic vulnerability.
“My gut tells me this is not the right political time,” Stefanik told New York Magazine in an interview on Friday. “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.”
“We viewed it as a waste of resources,” she said, also citing family considerations. “I have a 4-year old son, and that is a priority for our family.”
A senior House Republican official also said Stefanik was frustrated that Mr. Trump declined to endorse her early and effectively clear the field for her, a move that Stefanik allies believed could have avoided a divisive primary.
Mr. Trump did call Blakeman after he entered the race, according to sources familiar with the phone call. He told the county executive that he did not like seeing “good Republicans” face each other in an electoral battle.
Asked about the race on Dec. 10, the president repeatedly emphasized his reluctance to publicly intervene, stressing his personal relationships with both candidates and concern about collateral damage from a contested primary.
“First of all, he’s a friend. She’s a friend,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House. “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.”
Mr. Trump went on to praise both candidates, saying, “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, Trump 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 announced she would end her campaign, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised her record, calling her “an incredible advocate” for her Upstate New York district and “a true friend” to Mr. Trump. Leavitt, who previously worked for Stefanik as a top adviser, added that she is “a great leader, and an even better person.”
Stefanik, a member of House Republican leadership and one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress, had been viewed by New York Republicans as a formidable contender given her national profile and fundraising strength — over $12 million raised.
But she faced an uphill battle in deep-blue New York, with a recent Siena College poll showing Hochul with a double-digit lead versus both Republicans at this stage of the race.
