Reason Behind Stefanik’s Decision to Leave Congress, End Governor Bid Revealed

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced Friday night that she is ending her campaign for governor of New York and will also step away from her seat in Congress, a decision driven in large part by President Donald Trump’s refusal to endorse her bid, according to a GOP source familiar with the matter. Fox News reported the development as a significant shakeup in New York’s Republican landscape.

“The biggest piece of this puzzle was Donald Trump and the fact that he passed three times on endorsing her candidacy,” the source told Fox News Digital.

According to the source, Trump declined to offer his backing even during a recent Oval Office meeting that included members of the legendary “Miracle on Ice” hockey team. Stefanik, the source said, came to view the president’s neutrality as the decisive factor in her decision to exit the race.

Stefanik entered the gubernatorial contest last month believing she had a viable and largely unobstructed path to mounting a serious challenge against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. That outlook shifted earlier this month when Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — a close Trump ally — joined the Republican primary, signaling the likelihood of a competitive and potentially bruising intraparty fight.

Trump’s refusal to pick sides, combined with the prospect of a drawn-out primary battle, weighed heavily on Stefanik’s calculus, the source said.

“When you start to add these things up, it does not seem that you’re going to have the wind to your back in this cycle,” the source told Fox News Digital.

Beyond the gubernatorial race itself, the source said Stefanik’s decision to leave Congress reflected a broader sense that it was time for a new chapter after years in national politics.

In a post on X Friday afternoon, Stefanik expressed gratitude to supporters from across the political spectrum.

“I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all across the state,” Stefanik wrote.

She added that continuing through a lengthy Republican primary would not be a productive use of time or campaign resources.

Stefanik has been one of President Trump’s most reliable allies on Capitol Hill, forcefully defending him during both impeachment proceedings and rising to prominence as a leading voice in the House GOP. Trump previously nominated her to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a nomination that was later withdrawn amid concerns Republicans could lose her House seat in a special election.

After Blakeman entered the race, Trump declined to endorse either candidate, emphasizing unity among his allies.

“Elise is fantastic and Bruce is,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that he disliked seeing close allies compete against one another.

Hochul’s re-election campaign quickly seized on Stefanik’s withdrawal, pivoting its messaging toward Blakeman. In a statement, the campaign claimed Stefanik recognized she would lose to the incumbent governor, while attacking Blakeman’s record in Nassau County and attempting to tie him closely to Trump.

The GOP source told Fox News Digital that multiple county leaders have since reached out to Rep. Mike Lawler about a potential run. However, the source cautioned that it is too early to say Republicans are consolidating behind Blakeman, describing the field as fluid and party leaders as still regrouping. The source added that Blakeman could nonetheless emerge as a strong general election contender.

Blakeman praised Stefanik in a post on X and urged party unity, while Lawler also lauded her service, calling Stefanik a terrific congresswoman and saying she would have been a formidable governor.

The White House referred Fox News Digital to President Trump’s public remarks and statements from press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Trump praised Stefanik on Truth Social, saying she would find success regardless of her next move, while Leavitt described her as a close friend of the president and a strong, respected leader.