New York Representative Elise Stefanik announced on X that she is suspending her race for New York governor and will not be seeking reelection in congress. Essentially a complete exit from electoral politics.
ELISE STEFANIK – While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress. I did not come to this decision lightly for our family.
I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all across the state for our campaign to Save New York.
However, as we have seen in past elections, 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.
And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom. I believe that being a parent is life’s greatest gift and greatest responsibility. I have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don’t further focus on my young son’s safety, growth, and happiness – particularly at his tender age.
I am incredibly grateful to the people of New York’s 21st District for entrusting me to represent you in the United States Congress. Thank you to my dedicated staff over the past decade. I am proud of the significant results that we successfully delivered for the hardworking families in our district and across America. It has been a tremendous professional honor to serve as your Congresswoman over the past eleven years.
Thank you for your support and encouragement as my family and I look forward to the next meaningful personal and professional chapter.
God Bless and Merry Christmas ✨
This is a very interesting withdrawal from politics. Stefanik was very well positioned within the republican party and within republican party leadership in Washington DC. However, earlier this month, fellow Republican and Nassau County official Bruce Blakeman, whom President Trump had labeled “100% MAGA” announced his own bid for governor, setting up a contested primary between himself and Stefanik.
Stefanik had a recent dustup with Speaker Johnson over the issue of an amendment to the NDAA that would require the FBI to give congressional notification for any candidate for federal office who would be under investigation. She won that battle and the amendment was included.
Is she bowing-out for Blakeman? It is for sure she would not abandon NY 21st District to a Democrat, so it is probably secure Republican.
Farewell true and faithful servant of the people of New York. May fair winds and sunshine carry you forward!
She is abandoning the 21st district. Blakeman is running for Governor. NY will likely not elect a Republican Governor. Who will run for Rep in the 21st in 2026?? Who knows, that wasn’t mentioned.
Please not let us assume any district is safe. This mid-term election is so important for the Democrats that I really don’t have the words to describe it. The amount of money that will be thrown in support of Democrat candidates will be staggering. From their point of view, they have to stop President Trump. And the RINOS are in the corner whispering the same. Nothing is safe in 2026. MAGA and the President have to treat this as a presidential election. The President cannot lose the House (or the Senate). Never underestimate your enemy.
It is.
Appeared to me that she awakened as she experienced the Washington swamp. Became a stronger advocate for the good over time. Believe she will be missed. The wear and tear on a young family would be substantial. Stepping back to concentrate on being a dedicated mother is not wrong.
God Speed His Grace and Love to Elise and those she loves.
Notice she put the word “safety” in front of the words “growth and happiness”. We all know that the Democratic Party and some on the right are capable of some very nefarious activities to get their way. God Speed to Her. But I think we will all wonder what actually happened behind the scenes.
She is awesome! All the best to you and your family, Elise!
Ditto. You did your best and “asked the right ^(%^(* questions” from the start. I will miss you.
What’s the real reason she’s quitting?
I keep wondering if it’s a safety issue.
I would like to know the answer to that question from Bongino as well.
I Smell a nasty Democrat trick here.
In particular I suspect that some Rino has been paid off by a Democrat uniparty friend to lure Bruce Blakeman into a primary contest with Stephanik. Campaign funds and other assets have been promised to both Blakeman and even to some extent to the Rino (just how much was probably negotiated.)
Fathead Blakeman is totally doomed to fail in the general election with minimal name recognition outside of Nassau County, and promised support evaporating after the primary — “oh sorry, but your main benefactor-supporter died just last week; tsk, tsk, it can’t be helped. ” I have watched this gambit play out twice here in Massachusetts. The Democrat Party is the political equivalent of the mafia.
I hope Stephanik has figured this out, and I look forward to Stephanik un-suspending her campaign at the last minute, and squashing Blakeman like a bug.
Obviously, the Democrats are in a mess (and a panic) with bozo OAC seriously threatening Schmuck Schumer. This is just the sort of tactic they resort to in this situation. Just think what it would be like if they lost one of the NY senate seats to a Republican – many of them would be on a suicide watch.
Boston here too.
Excellent point!
Blakeman is a friend of President Trump……and Trump likes Elise. He was staying out of it for the most part…but it would appear what was to happen…..happened!
NY has gone so far left now that I doubt a Republican….even MAGA could get elected…unless of course by the time the elections hit…….we have eliminated electronic voting, the machines, mail in as well as ballot harvesting.
I Am hopeful President Trump will enact an EO or and Emergency Order having to do with elections and take full control by the powers that would be granted to him under this emergency to do the above!
Oh……and that would STOP these fricking rogue judges……and maybe even get them arrested if they do what they have been doing!
I find her leaving curious. In the past when a politician leaves for “family reasons” its a scandal they’re heading off. Don’t know here, curious.
Just a SWAG here, but the very fact of a challenge indicates she lost support from the local establishment. (Stupid Wild Assed Guess – SWAG)
She has served that establishment. Both DC and NY. Even neutrality is a betrayal. Is it worth the fight?
https://open.substack.com/pub/elizabethnickson/p/four-hundred-thousand-women-left?r=wq1fx&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
Here’s my speculation:
Elise has been a VERY loyal soldier for Trump & the MAGA movement and she didn’t feel the loyalty was reciprocated. IMO Trump should’ve endorsed Elise’s Governor’s. Blakeman is too old and a regional candidate.
The House is run by incompetents and didn’t want to waste time there anymore.
She can make A LOT of money, honestly, outside of government without being a Pelosi-esque crook and having her kid makes her move in that direction.
This is a GIANT loss for the MAGA movement and for NY State. As a very unhappy NYC resident, this might be the final straw for me. I was counting on Elise to rein in Mandami.
I agee 100%, Trump dissed her by not endorsing her, he should have stepped in and brokered a deal where Blakeman is her LT. Governor. She could have held office for a few years until she got a cabinet position with J.D. Vance. Blakeman then could of ran for Governor. Trump more often than not ends up shooting himself in the foot. Don’t know if we will ever recover from the mid-term disaster that is coming our way. She knows the house members are weak and spineless, and the Senate with a majority can’t get out of its own way. Always thought she should of been House Speaker. I am from her upstate district and she will be missed for sure and I won`t be surprised if a Dem wins up here.
Sounds like the CIA, has something they could hold over hear head.
Funny, years ago women were discriminated against due to the fact that they may be trained for a position then up and quit to raise a family. That is exactly what Stefanic has done. She was elected to represent the voters and has now changed her mind and decided to quit. No sense of responsibility. I don’t care for quitters. If you sign on to do a job, see it through.
I believe she said she is not running for re-election which is different than quitting. Exiting the governors race and leaving space for another good candidate to make themselves known is strategic.
Thanks, my mistake. Would retract if I could.
Compare and contrast to the way MTG exited.
Makes perfect sense to me. If Blakeman has a good chance, with PDJT’s and Stefanik’s suppoprt, why have a primary battle between two equally acceptable candidates. Let Blakeman take on the left and Elise spends a few years on family only to reenter the fray as a wise mom with much more wisdom.
Blakeman became Nassau County’s first Jewish executive in 2022
Maybe a future senate run?
Maybe a spot in the administration?
She would likely be effective in leadership. I don’t know what her weaknesses are.
There’s no way Stefanik could beat Blakeman in the primary.
Blakeman has a much better chance at beating Hochul than Stefanik would have.
Blakeman has widespread republican and MAGA support including President Trump’s and the law enforcement union/community statewide.
Stefanik has baggage such as her seat on the NED board, her rhino leanings, and the fact that she pushed shots during the Coof Operation (pro-pharma leanings).
Someone upthread mentioned she was suspected of being involved with re-election fund shenanigans; time will reveal the details on that if such even exists.
Back during the Coof Operation there was an enormous population flight out of NYC and into the small towns and sparsely populated (mostly conservative) counties upstate.
That liberal flock brought their mindset into those areas and since have made the election of conservatives more difficult.
NY conservatives are desperate for conservative representation.
Blakeman is a more viable candidate and he has President Trump’s endorsement.
Conservatives will support him despite someone upthread complaining about Blakeman’s age (he’s only 70, hardly a dinosaur, and he has an impressive employment history).
If Stefanik feels the need to stay home and take care of her young family, that is an admirable choice on her part and she shouldn’t be bashed for it.
Her family needs her more than we do.
0.o
hope she gets a spot in the administration.
Maybe that is coming up soon…👆☝️👆☝️
Our loss as she was a very good congress person. Politics has always been a very dirty business and the good ones usually leave…bill
The House is irredeemable regardless of which party is in power. Johnson has been a disaster. Blakeman instills no confidence either. He’d been retiring instead of running if he did.
Suspicious Cat
Elise Stefanik has always shown a tremendous amount of common sense and I was hoping she would run for Governor of New York. I thought she would get that long lost bastion of Communism back on some kind of reasonable track. This is why we end up with scumbags in positions of power. Good people have lots of common sense, have their life priorities firmly in place, and want to live their own best lives. We lose badly on this one, but I expect Stephanik is doing what is right for herself and her family.
I wish her the best and I hope she will get back in the fray someday when her responsibilities to her family are somewhat behind her. She is not the only good person who has had to opt out of politics, but I think MAGA has lost one of it’s best. I would trust her judgement on who should replace her in Congress more than anyone else’s opinion. Common Sense is the best quality for anyone wanting to be in politics and I wish a lot more of them would have that.
I think she realizes that there’s little hope for NY, and short of the Governor’s mansion theres little she can do. I suspect she’s planning on cutting her losses and leaving NY if she didn’t get the nod for governor.
Does this have anything to do with the Brown shooting? (Not a serious question, but at this point one has to wonder. [If Candace decides to just be a mum, then I will start wondering even further.])