CNN anchor Jake Tapper repeatedly insisted that President Donald Trump had openly called for &#8220;genocide&#8221; in Iran, prompting a quick response from his Sunday morning guest, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
Stefanik joined the longtime host of &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; to discuss her book, &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elise-stefanik-the-moment-the-ivy-league-lost-the-country">Poisoned Ivies</a>&#8221; — where she confronts the &#8220;academic and moral rot&#8221; that have taken over America&#8217;s elite educational institutions — and Tapper used her criticisms of the recent pro-Hamas protests to lay a rhetorical trap for her.
Stefanik shared a clip from Sunday morning&#8217;s interview along with her own caption that read, &#8220;@jaketapper falsely compares President Trump to the radical pro-Hamas antisemites who physically assaulted, spit on American students faces, drew swastikas on their doors, and rioted and destroyed university property. President Trump has targeted the Iranian terrorist regime to save the Iranian people and the world from the largest state sponsor of terror that has slaughtered their own people.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
And here it is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥from <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cnn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNNSOTU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaketapper</a> falsely compares President Trump to the radical pro-Hamas antisemites who physically assaulted, spit on American students faces, drew swastikas on their doors, and rioted and destroyed university property.
President… <a href="https://t.co/dXO68D98DW">pic.twitter.com/dXO68D98DW</a>
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/2045872839069192558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tapper began by noting that Stefanik had called out the anti-semitic protests at the time, saying, &#8220;You were praised by many in the Jewish community when you criticized the college presidents who refused to condemn students for chanting ‘From the river to the sea,’ which many Jews interpret to be, and you agreed — you characterized it as a genocide, a call for genocide, to wipe out all the Jews in Israel, ‘From the river to the sea.'&#8221;
But then he pivoted: &#8220;So just to be clear, you believe that wiping out an entire civilization is genocidal and nobody should make a call to do such a thing?&#8221;
Stefanik said yes, genocide is always bad.
&#8220;That’s why the question I asked, which was, does calling for the genocide of Jews violate your university’s code of conduct, yes or no? I worded it because it was a very simple straightforward question. It was not a political one. And the world heard as these universities equivocated saying it depends on the context or it’s a context-dependent decision. It is not,&#8221; she said.
Tapper dropped the other shoe then, referencing Trump&#8217;s blustery Truth Social posted threatening the Iranian regime and asking, &#8220;What did you think when President Trump threatened to obliterate the entire Iranian civilization?&#8221;
Stefanik pushed back immediately, noting that Trump had been speaking directly to the Iranian regime in an attempt to verbally strong-arm them to the negotiating table.
&#8220;And what did it do? It brought the Iranians to the table. It led to the ceasefire. We know that President Trump has very strong statements when it comes to his tweets, but it has been targeted towards the Iranian terrorist regime,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;He said the entire civilization will die,&#8221; Tapper insisted.
&#8220;He was focused on the Iranian terrorist regime. And Jake, isn’t it true that it brought the Iranians to the table to a cease-fire agreement?&#8221; Stefanik continued.
&#8220;I don’t know,&#8221; Tapper replied.
&#8220;It did, because they had a ceasefire agreement going on for days. And President Trump is correct to call out the Iranian terrorist regime, which has financed Hamas and Hezbollah, which I believe has led to some of the financing of the skyrocketing antisemitism,&#8221; Stefanik said.
&#8220;Yes, but I’m not talking about the regime,&#8221; Tapper protested.
&#8220;Jake, you can ask this question, but the reality is it was targeted towards the Iranian terrorist regime. It was an effective tool to bring them to the table. They have no cards,&#8221; Stefanik added.
Tapper continued to insist that he was not talking about the regime, and that what Trump had said was clearly a call for genocide — but Stefanik was not convinced.
&#8220;I just have to say it’s interesting that a 20-year-old college kid on a campus yelling ‘From the river to the sea,’ that’s worthy of condemnation, but a President of the United States who actually has—&#8221; Tapper began.
&#8220;You don’t think it’s worthy of condemnation? Jake, you don’t think it’s worthy of condemnation of students that are targeting Jewish students, that are physically assaulting them, that are spitting in their face, that are drawing swastikas on their doors, these students who have to hire security?”
“I don’t need a lesson on what it’s like to be a Jewish student,” Tapper replied.
“But you’re equivocating, like those university presidents,&#8221; Stefanik declared.
The two went on in that same vein for several minutes as Tapper tried unsuccessfully to end the interview.
&#8220;President Trump was not calling for genocide. Shame on CNN for saying that,&#8221; Stefanik jabbed as they wrapped the segment.
&#8220;I read the quote. Thank you so much,&#8221; was Tapper&#8217;s reply.

IMG_2385

Tapper Hurls ‘Genocide’ Accusation — Stefanik Fires Off A Sharp Counterpunch

Jake Tapper Claims Trump Called For 'Genocide' In Iran. Elise Stefanik Is Having None Of It.

Donald Trump

Elise Stefanik

Global Politics

Iran

Iran war

Jake Tapper

Media

Politics

Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was seen as a formidable challenger to incumbent New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, abruptly suspended her gubernatorial campaign Friday and is taking a step back from politics.
&#8220;While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress,&#8221; Stefanik <a href="https://x.com/EliseStefanik/status/2002121519342793163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">wrote</a> on X.
Stefanik&#8217;s choice stems from the unexpected entry of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman into the Republican primary for governor, a move Stefanik says would inevitably lead to a costly and ultimately unnecessary primary battle.
Blakeman jumped into the primary despite a phone call from President Trump warning him against challenging Stefanik, whom the president endorsed emphatically earlier this year.
&#8220;[W]hile we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,&#8221; Stefanik said.
With her congressional term ending in 2027, Stefanik hopes to focus her attention on motherhood and other personal goals.
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&#8220;And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom. I believe that being a parent is life&#8217;s greatest gift and greatest responsibility,&#8221; Stefanik said. &#8220;I have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don&#8217;t further focus on my young son&#8217;s safety, growth, and happiness &#8211; particularly at his tender age.&#8221;
The Harvard grad was once considered a rising star in the Republican Party and even a potential running mate for President Trump in 2024, but Stefanik has had a challenging year.
Stefanik gave up her leadership position and her spot on the House Intel committee earlier this year to accept the position of U.N. ambassador — only for the offer to be rescinded after Trump feared losing her House seat in the ensuing special election, eating into the Republicans&#8217; razor-thin House majority.
&#8220;I am incredibly grateful to the people of New York&#8217;s 21st District for entrusting me to represent you in the United States Congress. Thank you to my dedicated staff over the past decade. I am proud of the significant results that we successfully delivered for the hardworking families in our district and across America,&#8221; Stefanik concluded. &#8220;It has been a tremendous professional honor to serve as your Congresswoman over the past eleven years.&#8221;

ELECTION SHOCK: Elise Stefanik Drops Out Of New York Governor’s Race

2026 Midterms

Kathy Hochul

New York

News

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) are <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/17/us-news/elise-stefanik-demands-answers-from-kathy-hochul-about-qatar-funded-curriculum-in-nyc/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_social_handle_id=17469289&amp;utm_social_post_id=626155842&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost">pressing</a> New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to explain why New York City public schools are using curriculum and instructional materials funded by Qatar and what they describe as “malign domestic actors.” The GOP lawmakers argue that the New York City Department of Education has refused to release materials related to the September 11 attacks and the October 7 Hamas massacre, leaving Hochul as the only authority able to compel transparency.
“The [NYC] DOE has refused to provide copies of teaching materials that twist the narratives of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, in Israel,” Stefanik and Comer wrote in a letter obtained by the New York Post.
The lawmakers zeroed in on $1 million from Qatar Foundation International flowing to P.S. 261 in Cobble Hill and P.S./I.S. 30 in Bay Ridge, as well as on materials from Bridging Cultures, run by Dr. Debbie Almontaser, who is also the head of the Muslim Community Network (MCN). Stefanik and Comer allege MCN has a history of downplaying Islamist violence, opposing funding for the National 9/11 Memorial &amp; Museum, and vilifying anyone highlighting radical Islam’s role in the attacks. Bridging Cultures has conducted workshops on the Hamas attacks, which the lawmakers say “erases Israeli suffering.” Combined, MCN and Bridging Cultures have collected at least $14.7 million from New York City since 2014.
“The NYC DOE partnered with Bridging Cultures to train teachers on how to speak to students about 10/7, the war in Gaza, and the anti-Israel protest movement,” Stefanik and Comer said.
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Stefanik and Comer demanded that Hochul provide contracts, copies of the curriculum, and explanations for these partnerships. Hochul’s office dismissed the letter, saying Stefanik “misunderstand[s] how New York’s education system and mayoral control operate.”
The row escalates Stefanik’s attack line against Hochul ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial race. She has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stefanik-slams-hochuls-cowardly-silence-after-mamdanis-endorsement-of-9-11-apologist">slammed</a> Hochul for supporting incoming NYC Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who endorsed Palestinian activist Aber Kawas for the State Assembly.
“Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani and now owns his latest public endorsement of radical activist Aber Kawas for New York State Assembly, a proud terrorist sympathizer and denigrator of the United States,” Stefanik said in a statement. “Kawas notoriously blamed America for 9/11 that claimed the lives of thousands of New Yorkers, citing the United States&#8217; ‘system of capitalism,’ ‘racism,’ ‘white supremacy,’ and ‘Islamophobia’ as justification for the terrorist attacks that killed New Yorkers. It is clear that Mamdani owns and controls the Worst Governor in America, Kathy Hochul, as she cowardly remains silent on the anti-American and antisemitic filth spewed by the incoming Mayor and his endorsed candidates. Kathy Hochul must condemn Mamdani’s endorsement of Kawas immediately.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)

Stefanik Demands Hochul Explain Qatar-Funded NYC School Curriculum

Congress

Elementary Schools

James Comer

New York City

Qatar

Bruce Blakeman&#8217;s gubernatorial bid is off to a rocky start.
The New York Republican this week announced that he would mount a primary challenge to Rep. Elise Stefanik (R.) in one of the most closely-watched gubernatorial races of the coming midterm election cycle. Stefanik, who last month announced that she would run against New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D.), was expected to cinch the Republican nomination.
But Blakeman, county executive for Nassau County on Long Island, had an early advantage: a New York Times story, released shortly after he announced his bid, which revealed that President Trump &#8220;did not go so far as to dissuade him&#8221; from challenging Stefanik, a key Trump ally.
The Times story fueled early speculation that Trump may not get involved in the primary — or make a double endorsement, as he&#8217;s been known to do — two things that would likely help Blakeman.
But the Times issued a major correction just hours after publication, amending the story to say that the original story &#8220;inaccurately described President Trump’s phone call with Bruce Blakeman,&#8221; and that the president &#8220;tried to dissuade Mr. Blakeman from running in the Republican primary,&#8221; but &#8220;stopped short of explicitly telling Mr. Blakeman not to run.&#8221;
It’s unclear who leaked details of the call that led to the initial story. Trump equivocated when asked about the primary Monday, saying &#8220;I&#8217;ll think about it, but he&#8217;s great and she&#8217;s great,&#8221; adding, &#8220;We have a lot of great people in the Republican party.&#8221;
The Blakeman campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
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A recent poll has Stefanik beating Blakeman with 74% of the vote in a primary challenge, the New York Post reported last month. The congresswoman also garnered the backing of 58 Republican Party county chairs,  giving her over 75% of the party’s “weighted vote,&#8221; meaning she will likely not need to petition in order to get on the ballot
Blakeman will almost certainly have to gather 15,000 signatures to make it onto the ballot. The Nassau County Executive has attempted to pitch his candidacy as something Republicans should welcome, saying, &#8220;We&#8217;re not like the Democratic Party that had a coronation for Kamala Harris.&#8221;
Stefanik, who was once Trump’s pick to be the United Nations ambassador, touted a long list of local endorsements, including county executives and state lawmakers, following Blakeman’s entrance into the race.
New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov blasted Blakeman’s entrance into the race in an X post without explicitly naming him, calling it “the height of political malpractice” to primary the congresswoman.
“Elise will out raise any primary opponent by significant #-s, will kill on the debate stage (if it even gets to that, doubt it), and will generally wipe the floor with them on primary night. Why attempt to take out your own party’s candidate with major name rec. when the majority of your party supports her and when that candidate is well positioned to beat Kathy Hochul?” she wrote.
“Why not help us beat the Democrats instead of beating up on our candidate before she moves on to the General? But more than that, why cause yourself the embarrassment and lose support in the one county where you are actually popular and well liked? Because that county will also vote for Elise for Governor &#8230; This is what happens when politicians are only out for themselves, and think they’re better and smarter than everyone else. Suit yourselves,” the councilwoman added.
The Hochul campaign is referring to the Republicans as “Sellout Stefanik” and “Bootlicker Blakeman.”
The primary is on June 23. The race will likely get heightened attention not only with the big names already involved, but it could also prove to be a litmus test for how the state is reacting to New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s early days in power.

Elise Stefanik, Kathy Hochul

How The New York Times Tried — And Failed — To Carry Water For Elise Stefanik’s Primary Opponent

2026 election

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is calling out New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for her silence over the latest anti-police move made by far-left Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani, whom Hochul endorsed.
Mamdani recently appointed Alex Vitale to his community safety committee. Vitale, a sociology professor, is the author of &#8220;The End of Policing&#8221; and has espoused radical anti-police views, such as suggesting all officers and their unions are embedded with &#8220;deep racism&#8221; and calling for the defunding and abolition of police.
“Kathy Hochul must condemn Zohran Mamdani’s appointment of Alex Vitale to his transition advisory committee,&#8221; Stefanik told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Vitale is a radical police abolitionist who will destroy New York if he gets his way,&#8221; she added.
Stefanik <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stefanik-launches-gubernatorial-bid-to-oust-empire-states-communist-loving-red-queen?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Stefanik+Launches+Gubernatorial+Bid+To+Oust+Empire+State’s+‘Communist’-Loving+Red+Queen">announced</a> her bid for New York&#8217;s next gubernatorial election in November, just days after Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, won the election as New York City’s next mayor with Hochul’s endorsement.
When Hochul endorsed Mamdani, she claimed that Mamdani told her he would maintain all police resources to ensure the safety of New Yorkers was a top priority. Vitale&#8217;s appointment seems to fly in the face of that commitment, though Hochul has so far stayed mum.
Back in 2020, Vitale strongly backed the &#8220;defund the police&#8221; movement and criticized police unions and their members for their supposed &#8220;deep racism.&#8221;
&#8220;They become, in many cities, the locus, the institutional hub, for a whole set of right-wing &#8216;thin blue line&#8217; politics that believe that policing is not only effective but it’s the most desirable way to solve our problems,&#8221; Vitale <a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2020/6/8/alex_vitale_end_of_policing?">said</a>. &#8220;And embedded in this is a deep racism that says that certain populations can only be managed through constant threats and coercion.”
The professor added that this is the &#8220;logic of slavery&#8221; and &#8220;colonialism,&#8221; and activists must &#8220;take concrete steps to dismantle their political power.&#8221;
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdani-names-end-of-policing-author-who-called-cops-violence-workers-to-transition-team">The Daily Wire</a>, Vitale&#8217;s book, “The End of Policing,” imagines a world in which “modern policing” is broadly replaced by a combination of decriminalization and community empowerment. He argues that policing is designed to reinforce inequality, and that giving police officers diversity training is not enough to bridge the gap.
Vitale has also called for the decriminalization of offenses such as prostitution and drug use, and advocates for private corporations or government programs that would provide permanent housing for the homeless population.
Mamdani himself has espoused radical anti-police views, like calling NYPD officers &#8220;racist, anti-queer &amp; a major threat to public safety&#8221; and calling for the &#8220;wicked &amp; corrupt&#8221; department to be defunded and dismantled.
In addition to his controversial Vitale appointment, Mamdani has picked a black nationalist named Lumumba Bandele to serve on a Community Organizing committee. As <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/25/us-news/rep-elise-stefanik-challenges-hochul-after-call-to-fire-nightmare-mamdani-transition-team-pick/">noted</a> by the New York Post, Bandele previously aligned with Black Liberation Army members convicted of killing police officers in the tristate area.
“Kathy Hochul’s endorsed Mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, just picked a man who supports the killers of cops in New York and New Jersey to serve on his transition team,” Stefanik said.
“Mamdani’s vision for New York is getting very clear and it’s starting to look like a nightmare,&#8221; the Republican added. &#8220;Kathy Hochul must immediately call on Mamdani to fire Lumumba Bandele from his transition team.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdani-names-end-of-policing-author-who-called-cops-violence-workers-to-transition-team">Mamdani Names ‘End Of Policing’ Author Who Called Cops ‘Violence Workers’ To Transition Team</a>

Stefanik, Hochul, Mamdani

Stefanik Blasts Mamdani, Hochul Over Wild Anti-Police Appointment

mamdani

New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has launched a gubernatorial bid, fiercely attacked Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, accusing her of “cowardly” silence after New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani endorsed Palestinian activist Aber Kawas for the State Assembly.
Stefanik declared that Hochul, having endorsed Mamdani’s successful mayoral run, now “owns” his decision to elevate a candidate whom Stefanik labels a “terrorist sympathizer.&#8221; She demanded that Hochul condemn both Mamdani’s endorsement of Kawas and what Stefanik described as the “anti-American and antisemitic filth” being normalized.
“Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani and now owns his latest public endorsement of radical activist Aber Kawas for New York State Assembly, a proud terrorist sympathizer and denigrator of the United States,” Stefanik said in a statement. “Kawas notoriously blamed America for 9/11 that claimed the lives of thousands of New Yorkers, citing the United States&#8217; ‘system of capitalism,’ ‘racism,’ ‘white supremacy,’ and ‘Islamophobia’ as justification for the terrorist attacks that killed New Yorkers. It is clear that Mamdani owns and controls the Worst Governor in America, Kathy Hochul, as she cowardly remains silent on the anti-American and antisemitic filth spewed by the incoming Mayor and his endorsed candidates. Kathy Hochul must condemn Mamdani’s endorsement of Kawas immediately.”
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In 2017, Kawas stated that “the system of capitalism and racism, and white supremacy, et cetera, have all, and Islamophobia, have all been used to colonize lands, right, to take resources from other people, and so this is, like, a long trajectory. And we&#8217;re just seeing the manifestations of that continuation, right, with 9/11.”
The controversy erupted after Mamdani — a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the incoming mayor — <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/11/17/mamdani-backs-palestinian-activist-in-legislative-race-where-battle-with-israeli-lobby-a-key-issue/">backed</a> Kawas at a closed-door DSA meeting. Kawas has a long record of controversial statements, including a 2017 panel appearance in which she framed the September 11 attacks as a “manifestation” of U.S. capitalism, racism, white supremacy, and Islamophobia — remarks that critics say blame America for the murder of nearly 3,000 people. Kawas has also defended individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses, including synagogue bomb plotter Ahmed Ferhani and al-Qaeda financier Fahad Hashmi, whom she <a href="https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/socialists-unite-mamdani-throws-support-behind-behind-state-assembly-candidate-who-blamed-9-11-on-america/">described</a> as a “living martyr” whose imprisonment deprived activists of peace of mind.
Mamdani’s endorsement has also frightened Jewish New Yorkers already unsettled by his past rhetoric, including his affirmation of the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a slogan the U.S. Holocaust Museum has condemned because violence has been committed under its banner. Mamdani previously campaigned with a radical imam who spoke of “jihad” in New York City.
Within the Queens Assembly race itself, Mamdani’s move set up a clash with supporters of Brian Romero, the district&#8217;s longtime community figure and outgoing Democratic Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas’s preferred successor. Both <a href="https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2020/07/meet-the-insurgents-who-are-likely-future-assembly-members/175792/">Gonzalez-Rojas</a> and <a href="https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2025/10/brian-romero-hopes-succeed-his-former-boss-assembly/408676/">Romero</a> are reportedly DSA members. While Romero’s backers emphasized his deep neighborhood ties — especially in a predominantly Hispanic district — Kawas’s supporters insisted a Palestinian candidate was necessary to “draw the fire of the Israeli lobby,” boasting that they “did it with Zohran.”

Stefanik Slams Hochul’s ‘Cowardly Silence’ After Mamdani’s Endorsement Of 9/11 Apologist

9/11

Elections

Zohran Mamdani

A new survey shows that GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY) would beat incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in a head-to-head match-up with independent voters.
The <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/12/us-news/stefanik-would-trounce-blakeman-in-potential-gop-match-up-for-ny-governor/">survey</a> asked New York voters who they would vote for if the 2026 gubernatorial election were held today. Stefanik secured 41% of &#8220;Independent/Other&#8221; voters against Hochul, whereas fellow Republican, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, secured 29% of independents against Hochul.
Blakeman, who just recently won re-election as county executive, is reportedly seriously mulling over a run for governor.
Notably, Stefanik edged out Hochul by three points in their match-up with independent voters.
The survey, conducted by J.L. Partners, focused largely on different Republicans&#8217; chances against Hochul in the coming election. Stefanik, who officially announced her candidacy for governor this month, would perform much better than Blakeman, according to the poll.
In Blakeman&#8217;s hypothetical match-up against Hochul, he loses by 11 points with all voters. When Stefanik is matched up against Hochul, she only loses by three points. The margin of error for the poll is estimated at 4.4%.
Stefanik seems to be gaining on Hochul, too. As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-shows-elise-stefanik-has-kathy-hochul-in-striking-distance-after-ny-gov-endorses-mamdani">The Daily Wire</a> last month, a GrayHouse poll showed Hochul leading Stefanik 48% to 43% with New York voters. Again, the most recent poll shows Stefanik only down by three points.
Stefanik announced her bid for governor just days after Zohran Mamdani won the election to be New York City’s next mayor with Hochul’s endorsement. Mamdani has been criticized as anti-police and antisemitic, and ran on “free buses,” government-run grocery stores, sky-high taxes, and other extremely far-Left promises.
“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 she announced. “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.”
Stefanik has promised to introduce policies to lower the cost of utilities, energy, and groceries. The Republican has also boasted of her efforts to fight “woke insanity in our schools” and support small businesses. She’s additionally targeted Hochul for “cozying” up to Mamdani, whom she described as an “antisemitic communist.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stefanik-launches-gubernatorial-bid-to-oust-empire-states-communist-loving-red-queen">Stefanik Launches Gubernatorial Bid To Oust Empire State’s ‘Communist’-Loving Red Queen</a>

POLL: Stefanik Dominates With Independents, Beats Hochul

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) launched a run for New York governor on Friday, challenging the “failed” incumbent Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul and her embrace of leftist New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. 
Stefanik’s announcement comes just days after Mamdani won the election as New York City’s next mayor with Hochul&#8217;s endorsement. Highlighting Hochul’s support for radical policies and New York’s high cost of living, Stefanik said she would make the Empire State “affordable and safe FOR ALL&#8221; if elected governor. 
“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 announced. “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.”
In an ad posted alongside her announcement on social media, Stefanik said she would introduce policies to lower the cost of utilities, energy, and groceries. The spot also pointed to her record of fighting “woke insanity in our schools,” supporting small businesses, and targeted Hochul for &#8220;cozying&#8221; up to Mamdani, whom she described as an &#8220;antisemitic communist.&#8221; 
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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. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent… <a href="https://t.co/HXyQlNIjEj">pic.twitter.com/HXyQlNIjEj</a>
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/1986750485055823895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Stefanik is a close ally of President Donald Trump and was the chair of the House Republican Conference from 2021 to 2025. 
While New York is a solidly blue state, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-shows-elise-stefanik-has-kathy-hochul-in-striking-distance-after-ny-gov-endorses-mamdani">recent polling</a> suggests the race could be close. One poll from GrayHouse, conducted last month, showed Hochul leading Stefanik in a hypothetical matchup, 48% to 43%. 
The poll also suggested that the race could tighten if Mamdani won the mayoral election. Around 47% of voters who identified as independents said that Mamdani’s election would make them less likely to vote for a Democrat in the governor’s race. 
Hochul campaigned with Mamdani throughout his mayoral campaign, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/opinion/hochul-endorsement-mamdani.html">saying</a> that she believed he had “the courage, urgency and optimism New York City needs to lead it through the challenges of this moment.” Mamdani was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdanis-party-nycs-new-mayor-celebrates-win-by-channeling-americas-marxist-icon?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Mamdani’s+Party%3A+NYC’s+New+Mayor+Celebrates+Win+By+Channeling+America’s+Marxist+Icon">elected</a> on Tuesday on a platform promising to freeze rents for two million New Yorkers, open government-owned grocery stores, and provide universal childcare. 
Shortly after Stefanik officially announced her gubernatorial run, New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox officially endorsed her. 
&#8220;Thanks to Kathy Hochul and Democrats, New York leads the nation in outmigration as the most taxed, least free, least affordable state in America,” he said. “There will not be a Republican primary and a year from now, Elise will lead our team to victory over Kathy Hochul, end one-party Democrat rule, and make New York affordable again.&#8221;

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Stefanik Launches Gubernatorial Bid To Oust Empire State’s ‘Communist’-Loving Red Queen

There&#8217;s been a lot of talk lately about the radicalism problem on the Right. It is, indeed, a problem that exists.
But is it nearly as mainstream as it is on the Left? Has it been imbibed? Has it been ingested? Has it been sucked into the great maw of the party and turned into the mainstream position on the Right?
The answer, of course, is no.
But on the Left, the answer is very much yes.
The Democratic Party has decided to let the radicals run the show. This has become extraordinarily clear over the course of, not just of the past couple of election cycles, but the past few months, now that Zohran Mamdani has been vetted by the entire Democratic Party as the future of the party.
All of the so-called moderates in the Democratic Party refuse to dissociate in any way from Mamdani, who is, in fact, a terror sympathizer; who is, in fact, a Marxist radical; who is, in fact, a complete, useless ne&#8217;er do well of a human being who has somehow managed to manipulate himself into a position to become the mayor of the financial center of planet Earth in New York City.
Mamdani is a Marxist with jihadist leanings. That&#8217;s the reality. And in the modern Democratic Party, that is a feature, not a bug.
There are a lot of people in the media who&#8217;ve been struggling to figure out how Mamdani was able to win a primary despite having these radical positions. I&#8217;ve been saying since he won the Democratic Party primary that his winning is not a bug; it is a feature quite popular among Democratic primary voters, because the Democratic electorate has basically split between moderates who are increasingly bleeding over into the Republican Party or into the independents, and the hardcore Democrats, who are increasingly moving ever further to the left.
We are now two generations removed from the specter of communism via the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union fell 35 years ago, and that means that there are a lot of people who don&#8217;t remember the Soviet Union or the risks of communism. When they think of socialism, they actually are thinking of mixed states, capitalist states that have a significant welfare portion in places in Europe.
But the solutions that they are proposing are full-scale nationalization projects, Marxist projects directly from the Soviet, Cuban, Venezuelan handbook. And they don&#8217;t even know they&#8217;re doing that — or they don&#8217;t care.
What that means is that the candidate who signals the furthest to the Left in many of these areas in the primaries is actually quite likely to win. That’s how someone with Mamdani’s positions on the Middle East and terrorism and jihadism — only 24 years removed from 9/11 — can be elected mayor of New York.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2298-mamdani-aoc-and-bernie-oh-my?elementPosition=4&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
 New York City is likely to elect as mayor somebody who has sympathies for Al-Qaeda. I don&#8217;t mean he&#8217;s sympathetic to the actual terror attacks of 9/11, although he&#8217;s quite sympathetic to the terror group Hamas. I mean he believes that the Osama bin Laden-articulated grievances of 2001 against the West are mostly correct.
There are people who&#8217;ve been trained for generations in this country to believe that Western civilization is responsible for everything bad that happens on planet Earth, that third-world countries are third-world because of exploitation by the first world. They believe that terror centers are terror centers, not because of a deeply steeped radical Islamic ideology, but instead because somehow the West has been cruel to people.
That’s the kind of garbage Mamdani is preaching, and it is finding a ready audience among Democratic primary voters.
Very few Democrats have had the stones to simply say, “No, this is a bridge too far. The answer here is no.”
What&#8217;s amazing about that is that the risk factor in making such a statement is relatively low. Imagine that you are a mainstream Democrat, an elected official from Kansas, and somebody asks you about Mamdani. Does it cost you anything to say, “No, that guy&#8217;s too extreme. I would not vote for him. I&#8217;d vote for Andrew Cuomo.” Would that cost you anything?
Let&#8217;s say that you&#8217;re a purple state Democrat. Or let&#8217;s say that you&#8217;re a blue state Democrat. You&#8217;re just not a New York City, far-Left Greenwich Village Democrat. Does it cost you anything to say, “No, that dude is too much for me. I understand the primary voters chose him, but the reality is that is not representative of America.”
<div id="attachment_987879" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-987879" class="size-large wp-image-987879" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2241087777-864x576.jpg" alt="Andrew Cuomo, New York City mayoral candidate, from left, Curtis Sliwa, New York City mayoral candidate, and Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayoral candidate, during a mayoral debate in New York, US, on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Millions of dollars are pouring into the mayoral election with less than four weeks to go until New Yorkers go to the polls. Photographer: Angelina Katsanis/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2241087777-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2241087777-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2241087777-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2241087777.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Angelina Katsanis/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Instead, the Democratic Party has decided they must draft off of the Mamdani energy. And that&#8217;s why you&#8217;re seeing nationally a reflection of Mamdani politics via the Bernie Sanders wing of the party.
Mamdani is a child of the Bernie Sanders revolution because Bernie obviously is not just a socialist when it comes to domestic policy. He is also a Howard Zinn, anti-American extremist when it comes to American foreign policy. Mamdani is just following in the footsteps of Bernie Sanders. But he&#8217;s adding a more diverse backstory.
People think Mamdani’s radicalism about the Middle East is somehow an inhibitor to his political success.
Wrong.
In New York City, with its Democratic primary base, his radicalism is an aphrodisiac. The Democratic Party base wants this signaling. They want the extremism. They want the Howard Zinn-ification of American foreign policy.
Israel pulls out of Gaza, and Hamas immediately starts consolidating control by literally pulling people out of their houses, lining them up, putting them on their knees, and shooting them in the head. There are videos of this happening.
And Mamdani has nothing to say about this. Not only does he have nothing to say about this, he&#8217;s asked whether Hamas should disarm now and he won&#8217;t even answer a question as to whether Hamas ought to be disarmed.
New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was asked by a New York Times reporter, “I&#8217;m a reporter for the Times. I&#8217;m writing about Elise Stefanik’s comments in response to Mamdani’s Fox News interview, Mamdani’s campaign has said that her comments calling him a jihadist were Islamophobic. Please let me know if you want to respond.” 
Stefanik <a href="https://x.com/EliseStefanik/status/1978943584867860643">responded</a> publicly on X:
<blockquote>I call Zohran Mamdani a jihadist because he is. Zohran Mamdani is a raging antisemite. Mamdani is the definition of a jihadist as he supports Hamas terrorists which he did as recently as yesterday when he refused to call for Hamas terrorists to put down their arms &#8211; the same Hamas terrorist group that slaughtered civilians including New Yorkers on October 7, 2023. 
He is Kathy Hochul’s endorsed jihadist Communist who she has empowered to destroy New York City. It’s why the New York State Democrat Party Chair refuses to support him. It’s why multiple Democrat Members of Congress refuse to support him. It’s why Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries have still not endorsed him. Because Zohran is a jihadist who will destroy New York.</blockquote>
Why aren&#8217;t Democrats dissociating from him?
None of them will say it because they are trying to draft off the jet fuel that is radicalism and nut-jobbery inside the Democratic Party.
Bill Ackman <a href="https://x.com/BillAckman/status/1979000490563432948">stated</a> on X of Mamdani:
<blockquote>It is now abundantly clear he is completely full of it. The whole thing is an act. Just look at the identical practiced smile with which he ends each answer. After watching him recreate his fake smile, your skin will start to crawl. Mamdani exudes inauthenticity and smugness. He denies or disavows any of his previous public statements that he knows will now cost him votes. The only takeaway is that he is an extremely articulate inauthentic actor. You can’t trust one word out of his mouth. And that’s before you get to his policies which make no economic sense.</blockquote>
This is the nature of the modern Democratic Party.
And they are moving in this direction at light speed.

New York City Mayoral Debate

Radicalism Isn’t Fringe Anymore In The Democratic Party

Andrew Cuomo

Ben Shapiro

Democratic Socialism

Democrats

Islamic Jihad

Leftists

Marxism

Mayor

Opinion

U.S. Politics

Congress has officially passed legislation honoring the team that gave the United States one of its greatest Cold War victories — not in the halls of diplomacy, but on a sheet of ice.
The Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, championed by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN), has cleared both chambers of Congress and now awaits a final signature from President Donald Trump. The bill awards three Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team — a group of college kids headed by legendary coach Herb Brooks — for their historic 4-3 triumph over the Soviet Union, an act of athletic defiance that echoed far beyond Lake Placid. The Soviet Union hockey team was regarded as invincible, having trounced a team of NHL All-Stars before the Olympics.
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The game was named the greatest sports moment of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated.
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“It is an incredible honor to represent Lake Placid, where the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team pulled off one of the greatest sports upsets in world history,” Stefanik <a href="https://stefanik.house.gov/2025/9/stefanik-s-miracle-on-ice-congressional-gold-medal-passes-the-house">declared</a> following the House’s September 15 vote. “The American defeat of the Soviet Union during the Cold War was a triumph of perseverance, unity, and spirit, not only for the athletes on the ice but for all Americans.”
Indeed, it wasn’t just a game — it was a symbolic haymaker thrown by a group of college kids against the professional behemoth of Soviet communism. It was America at its best: scrappy, underestimated, and absolutely unwilling to quit.
The medals will be enshrined at three symbolic institutions:
<ol>
<li data-start="1590" data-end="1663">The Lake Placid Olympic Center in New York, where history was made.</li>
<li data-start="1667" data-end="1763">The United States Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota — hockey’s spiritual homeland.</li>
<li data-start="1767" data-end="1875">The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado, commemorating Olympic greatness.</li>
</ol>
This isn’t just about medals — it’s about memory. And as Stefanik noted, it comes as the 50th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice approaches in 2030.
Backed by a chorus of support from the National Hockey League, USA Hockey, and both sides of the aisle in Congress, the legislation recognizes what the American people have long known: that Herb Brooks’ squad didn’t just win a game — they delivered a gut punch to Soviet dominance at a time when America desperately needed a win. The U.S. had last won the gold medal in 1960; the Soviets had won every gold medal after that, in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1976.
The bill pays homage to that historic moment, noting that the victory aired to more than 34 million Americans, inspired a generation of athletes, and forever changed the game of hockey in the U.S.
Since 1980, American hockey registrations have jumped from 136,000 to more than 564,000, and the number of U.S.-born NHL players has more than tripled. The ripple effects of “the Miracle” are still being felt today — on NHL ice, in youth leagues, and now in the annals of congressional history.
Perhaps most powerful are the words of the late Coach Brooks, who famously told his team before facing the Soviets: “You were born to be hockey players … and you were meant to be here.”
They were. And now, thanks to this bill, Congress has said they were also meant to be remembered.
The timing couldn’t be more poignant. The 1980 team played against the backdrop of stagflation, gas shortages, a hostage crisis in Iran, and a demoralized national mood. The Cold War was peaking, the Soviet Union had just invaded Afghanistan, and Americans were wondering whether their best days were behind them.
Then came a puck drop, a roar in Lake Placid, and a stunned Soviet squad skating off the ice. In that moment, American grit beat Soviet strength.
Now the bill — which had near-unanimous support in the House and Senate — lands on President Trump’s desk, where it is widely expected to be signed without delay.

February 22,1980: Oylympics: USA Hockey v Russia, February 22, 1980

‘Do You Believe In Miracles?’: Trump Set To Honor 1980 Olympic Hockey Team

Hockey

Miracle on Ice

Olympics

Russia

In a move that underscores the growing arrogance of the Democratic Party’s far-left flank, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani refused to endorse sitting New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for re-election just one day after she publicly backed his candidacy — a gesture that cost her political capital among moderates and independents.
After weeks of hesitation, Hochul, the embattled Democrat, finally bent the knee and endorsed Mamdani over the weekend. She published an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/opinion/hochul-endorsement-mamdani.html">op-ed</a> in The New York Times, making the case that unity against Donald Trump was more important than her ideological rift with Mamdani — a radical democratic socialist who backs higher taxes, defunding the police, and “reimagining” capitalism.
But Mamdani, true to form, wasted no time revealing just how transactional the endorsement would be. Speaking to reporters on Monday, he <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/09/15/mamdani-declines-to-immediately-back-hochuls-reelection-after-she-offers-him-coveted-endorsement/">casually brushed aside</a> the idea of returning the favor. “My focus is on November,” Mamdani said, refusing to endorse Hochul’s 2026 re-election bid. He offered perfunctory gratitude for her support — then pivoted back to his talking points.
The message was clear: Mamdani is happy to accept Hochul’s help, but he has no intention of helping her fend off what could be a brutal primary challenge from her own left flank — or a general election fight against Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who’s already blasting Hochul for supporting “a raging antisemite communist.”
Hochul didn’t simply endorse Mamdani out of genuine alignment. She did it as a calculated gamble — to shore up support among progressives ahead of a likely challenge from Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and to boost turnout in NYC. And yet, Mamdani couldn’t even offer her the bare minimum in return.
This one-sided “alliance” is exposing the very rift that is tearing the Democratic Party apart. Hochul admitted in her own op-ed that she and Mamdani were “unlikely allies” and that they “don’t see eye to eye.” She explicitly distanced herself from his most extreme proposals — including hiking taxes on the wealthy and gutting the NYPD — while also noting concerns over antisemitism.
Meanwhile, other prominent New York Democrats like Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have still refused to endorse Mamdani at all.
Stefanik wasted no time capitalizing on Hochul’s endorsement, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stefanik-rips-hochul-for-backing-raging-antisemite-communist-zohran-mamdani?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Stefanik+Rips+Hochul+For+Backing+%E2%80%98Raging+Antisemite+Communist%E2%80%99+Zohran+Mamdani">torching</a> the governor for “putting jet fuel on commie Mamdani” and vowing to save New York from the radicalism she said is destroying the state.
Hochul handed Mamdani a lifeline in the name of party unity. In return, he handed her political disrespect and strategic silence.
It’s the perfect encapsulation of today’s Democratic Party: “moderates” grovel to radicals as the radicals grind them down.

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Hochul Endorses Mamdani. The Very Next Day, He Refuses To Endorse Her.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who is eyeing a 2026 run for New York governor, tore into sitting Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul for endorsing far-left NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani — branding the frontrunner as a “raging antisemite communist” and accusing Hochul of enabling policies that are wrecking the Empire State.
Appearing on Fox &amp; Friends on Monday morning, Stefanik launched a fiery attack, stating, “Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America, and it was only a matter of time before she bent the knee for this raging antisemite communist.” She added that Hochul now “owns” Mamdani’s extreme agenda, which includes stances of defunding the police, abolishing prisons, eliminating private health insurance, and legalizing prostitution.
Stefanik didn’t hold back on the consequences of Hochul’s hard-left pivot, saying the governor has “embraced communism” and “put jet fuel on commie Mamdani.” She blasted Hochul for pandering to her radical base while ignoring the will of New Yorkers, the majority of whom Stefanik says reject Mamdani’s views and want “common sense” leadership.
“She owns all of his heinous positions that will make New York less affordable and more dangerous,” Stefanik said, pointing to skyrocketing taxes, collapsing public safety, and mass outmigration. “They’re not leaving because of the weather,” she noted. “They’re leaving because of the policies.”
Stefanik’s remarks follow her formation of the “Save New York” PAC, which aims to elect Republicans statewide in 2025 and lay the groundwork for her expected gubernatorial bid. With potential GOP challengers like Rep. Mike Lawler stepping aside, Stefanik is increasingly seen as the frontrunner should she decide to enter the race.
Slamming Hochul’s alignment with Mamdani’s radical proposals, Stefanik said the governor has “embraced tax hikes, defunding the police, government-run grocery stores, and decriminalizing sex work,” warning that such policies will “further destroy New York.”
Stefanik pointed to recent polling to bolster her case, noting that Hochul is hemorrhaging support among independents and on Long Island. “Sixty percent of voters on Long Island want someone new,” she said, adding that “no state moved more to the Republican direction than New York in 2024.”
The congresswoman argued that New Yorkers — regardless of party — are waking up to the extremism of the state’s Democratic leadership. “The vast majority of New York City and New York residents do not want communism. They do not want antisemitism,” she said.
As the state gears up for a volatile 2026 cycle, Stefanik is positioning herself as the GOP’s answer to what she calls a collapsing Democrat Party that’s been hijacked by the radical left.

Stefanik Rips Hochul For Backing ‘Raging Antisemite Communist’ Zohran Mamdani

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