Not since 2006 has New York had a Republican governor.
At the time, Gov. George Pataki (R) led New York, implementing tax cuts and reducing crime.
Pataki, alongside then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), guided New York through the horrific 9/11 terror attacks.
Flash forward to the present day, New York has just elected socialist Zohran Mamdani to become the next mayor of the Big Apple.
Meanwhile, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has resided in the governor’s mansion following the infamous resignation of Andrew Cuomo over allegations that he sexually assaulted multiple women.
New York politics has been tough on conservatives for over a decade.
However, that could change by next year.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has announced her bid to succeed Hochul as the next governor of the Empire State.
Stefanik was initially President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
After much back-and-forth and uncertainty, Stefanik withdrew from the role.
Now, the New York congresswoman is setting her sights on becoming the first Republican governor of New York since Pataki.
Stefanik made her announcement on X, where she lambasted Hochul over her “failed” policies.
“Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America. Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills,” Stefanik said.
“When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent the knee to the raging Defund the Police, Tax Hiking Communist causing catastrophe for New York families. I am running for Governor to make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents will unify to save our state,” she added. “It’s time to: FIRE HOCHUL. SAVE NEW YORK.”
Stefanik’s candidacy is viewed as a long shot, given that Democrats largely control the state of New York.
However, it is worth noting that the GOP congresswoman has a large following on social media, with over 1 million followers on X alone.
Hochul, meanwhile, has just 284,000 followers.
Such a statistic is particularly relevant to modern-day politics, given the significant role that social media plays in campaigns.
One can argue, for example, that Mamdani handily defeated Cuomo because of his precise use of social media to connect with key demographics needed to secure victory.
Indeed, Mamdani frequently used social media to boost his message and would often appear on top podcasts to appear relatable to the average voter.
Stefanik could use her large following as an advantage in her campaign.
In the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris defeated President Donald Trump by 12.6 points in New York.
In 2020, however, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden defeated Trump by a margin of 23.2 points.
From 2020 to 2024, Trump was able to garner a 10.6-point increase in a state largely controlled by Democrats.
