Elise Stefanik Unleashes Scathing New Montage Ad Targeting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Failures

By: Andrew Carlson

Republican gubernatorial candidate Elise Stefanik launched a blistering new campaign ad targeting Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul, framing her as out of touch, unpopular, and responsible for making New York “the most unaffordable state in the nation,” the New York Post reported on Friday.

The one-minute digital spot, titled “Kathy’s Own Words: This Bulls–t Has to Stop,” is the second statewide ad Stefanik has released since officially entering the race for governor last week. The ad compiles a rapid-fire montage of Hochul’s most criticized public moments, relying heavily on her own words and public gaffes to emphasize Stefanik’s message that the current administration is “failing working New Yorkers.”

According to the report in The New York Post, the ad opens with an image of Hochul alongside a reel of newscasters repeating Stefanik’s now-familiar campaign refrain: “Worst governor in America.” That phrase was first coined by Stefanik in her campaign launch speech earlier this month and has since become a cornerstone of her messaging strategy.

“Hochul is out of touch,” the ad’s narrator declares, as the screen flashes through clips of the governor’s widely criticized remarks and public embarrassments.

As The New York Post report detailed, the ad features one of Hochul’s most controversial statements from May 2024, when she said that Black children “growing up in the Bronx” do not know what the word “computer” means — a remark that sparked widespread backlash for its condescension and racial insensitivity.

The ad also includes footage of Hochul facing an angry crowd of hecklers chanting “Tax the Rich” during a New York City rally for newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani, which featured progressive icons Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). When Hochul attempted to respond with the words, “I can hear you,” the chants only intensified, according to The New York Post, and the governor’s awkward retort has since circulated widely on social media.

Another segment shows Hochul being loudly booed at the Ryder Cup golf tournament on Long Island in September — a public humiliation that further cemented her image as a deeply polarizing figure among New York voters.

“Unpopular,” the ad’s narrator intones as the boos echo in the background.

From there, the ad shifts to footage of Stefanik in an interview segment lambasting Hochul for her handling of the economy and cost-of-living crisis.

“She has made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation,” Stefanik says, echoing remarks she made earlier this month in The New York Post interview, where she accused Hochul of driving out middle-class families with high taxes, energy costs, and overregulation.

The ad crescendos with a clip of Hochul at a press conference telling reporters, “This bulls–t has to stop.” Stefanik’s campaign replays the quote in bold text, using it as a refrain to tie together the video’s theme of political failure and hypocrisy.

“These are your words, Kathy,” the narrator declares. “This bulls–t has to stop.”

The ad closes with the slogan, “It’s time to save New York. Elise for Governor,” before fading to black.

In a follow-up statement published by The New York Post, Stefanik doubled down on her criticism, calling Hochul’s record “a disaster for working families” and promising to end what she described as years of mismanagement under Democratic leadership.

“Kathy Hochul has earned the title of Worst Governor in America because she has made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation,” Stefanik said. “These are your words, Kathy: ‘This bulls–t has to stop.’ And it will — when Republicans, Democrats, and Independents unify next November to fire Kathy Hochul and save New York with common-sense policies that make our state affordable and safe.”

According to polling cited by The New York Post, Stefanik’s sharp attacks may already be having an effect. A new survey released this week by J.L. Partners found the race neck-and-neck, with Hochul supported by 46% of respondents compared to 43% for Stefanik — a margin well within the poll’s statistical error range.

The results mark one of the closest showings for a Republican gubernatorial candidate in heavily Democratic New York in decades. Analysts quoted by The New York Post noted that Stefanik’s candidacy — built around themes of affordability, safety, and opposition to far-left politics — appears to resonate with voters disillusioned by the state’s rising costs and crime rates.

Stefanik, currently the House Republican Conference Chair and one of the most prominent figures in the GOP, has repeatedly positioned herself as a candidate capable of bridging ideological divides while restoring fiscal discipline and public safety.

Hochul, by contrast, has faced mounting criticism from both conservatives and progressives. She has struggled to maintain support amid economic stagnation, skyrocketing housing costs, and ongoing concerns about crime, immigration policy, and public corruption scandals.

Stefanik’s ad represents a strategic escalation in her campaign messaging, emphasizing visual storytelling and emotional resonance over traditional policy arguments. The approach mirrors recent trends in political advertising that rely heavily on viral media and sound bites — particularly by using an opponent’s own words against them.