(TJV NEWS) Republican U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik said on Sunday that she is “strongly considering” a run for governor of New York in 2024, potentially setting up a challenge against incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul, Reuters reported.

A busy morning!

WATCH 📺 my interview with @MariaBartiromo on @FoxNews @SundayFutures about President @realDonaldTrump‘s One Big Beautiful Bill to secure the border, unleashing American energy independence, and cutting taxes. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/l2zBNtAu7H

— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) May 4, 2025

In an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Stefanik, 40, a six-term congresswoman, emphasized the public desire for a new generation of leadership in New York. “New Yorkers, not just Republicans, but independents and Democrats as well, are yearning for a new generation of leadership to bring common sense back to our state. So absolutely, I’m taking a hard look at it, and the outpouring of support has been tremendous. And Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America,” she said, according to Reuters.

‘Hochul only leads Stefanik by six percentage points in the poll, 46% to 40%’ ~ ~ Rep. Elise Stefanik tells Post she’s in ‘strongest position’ to defeat NY Gov. Kathy Hochul as she mulls 2026 run https://t.co/jfW7dnJJQN pic.twitter.com/GWckANMf4b

— Mary (@matjendav4) May 3, 2025

Stefanik, who served as the fourth-ranking House Republican before stepping aside after President Donald Trump nominated her to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was later appointed chairwoman of the House Republican leadership. However, the White House withdrew her nomination, citing concerns about the narrow Republican majority in the House, which currently stands at 220-213, Reuters reported.

New York has not had a Republican governor since George Pataki, who served from 1995 to 2007. In the 2024 presidential election, President Trump lost the state by almost 13 points to former Vice President Kamala Harris. If Stefanik enters the race, she would aim to gain support from conservative areas in Long Island and upstate New York, Reuters added.

Stefanik criticized Hochul’s leadership, pointing to issues such as affordability, high taxes, and crime as major concerns for New Yorkers under “single-party Democrat rule,” Reuters reported.

In 2014, Stefanik became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and has since led efforts to expose how U.S. elite colleges, including New York’s Columbia University, responded to campus protests over the Gaza war.

According to Reuters, Stefanik’s district in upstate New York is not expected to be competitive in next year’s midterm elections, with Democrats aiming to retake control of the House, a scenario often favoring the opposition party of the incumbent president.