© 2025 Thomson Reuters
FILE PHOTO: US Representative Elise Stefanik is shown in Washington
(New York, NY) — Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is responding to Rep. Elise Stefanik’s decision to end her campaign for governor of New York. The Republican congresswoman from upstate New York, says she will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives after her current term ends. Stefanik posted on ‘X’ that her decision came after reflecting on spending “precious time with my family.” She added it also avoids, shat she described, a potentially costly and unnecessary Republican primary in a state that is politically difficult for GOP candidates. Her withdrawal effectively clears the way for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to become the likely Republican nominee to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 2026 election.
Blakeman phoned into “Sid and Friends in the Morning” and told host Sid Rosenberg, politics is “a very grueling business and it’s tough on families. She’s got a young child and I think she felt that she wanted to spend some time with her family.” He added, “She can always jump back into the arena. She’s very bright. Very articulate. She was a great member of Congress.”
Listen To Blakeman Speaking To Sid Rosenberg Here:
Blakeman also said “Elise is a great public servant. She served with great distinction in the House of Representatives. I wish her well in all her future endeavors. I think she’ll be a leader in the party and in government for years to come.”
Stefanik had been seen as a leading contender for the Republican nomination, with significant support within the party and a national profile as a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump. Earlier in 2025, Trump had even nominated her to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, though that nomination was later withdrawn amid political calculation about the GOP’s narrow majority in the House.
In stepping back from politics entirely, Stefanik cited both political calculation and personal priorities, particularly raising her young son, and her decision marks a surprising pivot for a figure who had been central to Republican politics in New York and nationally.
