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.”

Elise Stefanik

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

9/11

Elections

Kathy Hochul

New York

New York City

Politics

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>

Elise Stefanik, Kathy Hochul

POLL: Stefanik Dominates With Independents, Beats Hochul

2026 Midterms

Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) may have endorsed the Democratic Mayor-elect of New York City, but she&#8217;s making it clear that she&#8217;s not all-in on his progressive policy proposals — especially if they would place a greater burden on a system that is already strapped.
Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani — a self-described Democratic socialist — despite his unwillingness to do the same for her, but she said on Saturday that she couldn&#8217;t get on board with his calls for free buses in New York City.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kathy Kochul says no to Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s 
free NYC bus plan. The transit system relies on the fares to function. <a href="https://t.co/52xgCMxCrA">pic.twitter.com/52xgCMxCrA</a>
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) <a href="https://twitter.com/libbyemmons/status/1987532950284451991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I cannot set forth a plan right now that takes money out of a system that relies on the fares of the buses and the subways,&#8221; she said during a Saturday press conference. &#8220;But can we find a path to make it more affordable for people who need help? of course we can.&#8221;
Hochul went on to say that she&#8217;d had a number of conversations with Mamdani and that she wanted to work with him where she could — but that she wasn&#8217;t going to suddenly change her position on an issue solely due to public pressure.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEWS: <a href="https://twitter.com/GovKathyHochul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovKathyHochul</a> right now is a no on <a href="https://twitter.com/ZohranKMamdani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZohranKMamdani</a>’s free bus promise.
“I cannot set forth a plan right now that takes money out of a system that relies on the fares of the busses and the subways.”
She’s then pressed on “Tax the Rich” chants: <a href="https://t.co/M0wa9SEDMA">pic.twitter.com/M0wa9SEDMA</a>
— Bernadette Hogan (@bern_hogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/bern_hogan/status/1987188552216506417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We&#8217;re aligned on some of these issues. I&#8217;ve made it clear where I have strong disagreements with issues that really do not pertain to the governance of New York City,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;I&#8217;m looking forward to having our teams keep the conversation — a lot of conversations going with our teams.&#8221;
She went on to say that her current focus was doing whatever she could to prevent an influx of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in New York City.

New York Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Holds Election Rally With Bernie Sanders And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Mamdani-Supporting Kathy Hochul Dumps Cold Water On One Of His Key Policies

Media

Transportation

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; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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;

MixCollage-07-Nov-2025-08-08-AM-5984

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

In a moment ripped straight from the sidelines at Talladega, Governor Kathy Hochul claimed on Monday that when a crowd of New Yorkers began chanting &#8220;Tax the rich!&#8221; at a rally for mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, all she&#8217;d heard was, &#8220;Let&#8217;s go Bills!&#8221;
Hochul gave the implausible explanation when she was asked about the chanting and whether she would stand firm on not raising taxes despite Mamdani&#8217;s repeated calls for higher taxes on wealthy New Yorkers — and on corporations that do business in the city, whether they are located within the city limits or not.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kathy Hochul oddly drags Buffalo Bills into ‘tax the rich’ chant that overwhelmed her appearance at Zohran Mamdani rally <a href="https://t.co/tTLLtrO6Nv">https://t.co/tTLLtrO6Nv</a> <a href="https://t.co/1vBIiNrzL6">pic.twitter.com/1vBIiNrzL6</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1982874181663375694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Given the reception that you received last night at Zohran&#8217;s rally where people were chanting, &#8216;Tax the rich, Tax the rich,&#8217; are you going to hold the line on raising taxes even if it means losing an endorsement or getting a primary challenge?&#8221; the New York Post&#8217;s Stephen Vago asked.
&#8220;I couldn&#8217;t hear what they were chanting,&#8221; Hochul claimed, before adding, &#8220;I thought they were saying, &#8216;Let&#8217;s go [Buffalo] Bills.&#8217; I wasn&#8217;t sure. When you&#8217;re up there, I heard some noise. I heard a lot of cheers. But later on it became clear to me that there&#8217;s a — I know there&#8217;s a passion for that.&#8221;
Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DailyWire.com/Subscribe</a> to join now.
Hochul left out the fact that she was in New York City at the time — where they have two NFL teams — and therefore a little over six hours away from Buffalo, New York, by car. She went on to say that she really hoped Democrats could harness the &#8220;energy&#8221; behind those cheers in order to win back control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) shot back, &#8220;The #BillsMafia won’t forget. What a trainwreck @KathyHochul is every single day.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BillsMafia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BillsMafia</a> won’t forget
What a trainwreck <a href="https://twitter.com/KathyHochul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KathyHochul</a> is every single day. <a href="https://t.co/dBgS5giRI2">https://t.co/dBgS5giRI2</a>
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/1982901908508754197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Others pointed out how similar that moment was to the time the &#8220;Let&#8217;s go, Brandon&#8221; chant was born — when NBC reporter Kelli Stavast heard a crowd of NASCAR fans at Talladega chanting &#8220;F*** Joe Biden&#8221; and claimed she believed they&#8217;d been chanting &#8220;Let&#8217;s go, Brandon&#8221; to cheer on winning driver Brandon Brown.

WATCH: Hochul Says She Thought Socialists Chanting ‘Tax The Rich’ At Her Were Saying ‘Let’s Go Bills’

Democratic Socialism

Let's Go Brandon

Socialism

Taxes

Wealth Tax

The second big New York mayoral debate happened on Wednesday night.
The front-runner, Zoran Mamdani, the pro-Islamist, pro-jihadist Marxist front-runner who won the Democratic nomination, appeared against Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York, who had to resign from office after getting a bunch of old people killed with his bad COVID policy — and also grabbing women. He ran out of old people and was ousted from office, which is why Kathy Hochul is now the governor of New York.
Cuomo lost the Democratic nomination to Mamdani and has been trailing him in the polls as an independent ever since, largely because there&#8217;s a third candidate in the race, Republican Curtis Sliwa. He’s a radio host from New York, and a long-time New York mainstay who founded the Guardian Angels. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the Guardian Angels would walk around with red berets on the NYC subway, making the city safer for New Yorkers by intimidating would-be criminals. 
The polls right now have Mamdani ahead, and it is unclear that even if Sliwa drops out, the consolidated support between Cuomo and Sliwa would be enough to overcome Mamdani.
What is amazing is Mamdani’s base of support. According to a brand new poll out from the Patriot Polling <a href="https://patriotpolling.com/our-polls/f/new-york-city-mayoral-election">survey</a>, Mamdani has 62% of the foreign-born vote in New York City. Cuomo is at 24%; Sliwa is at 12%.
For those who seem to believe that it makes no difference when you import a bunch of people to the United States who have different views of the United States than mainline, mainstream, average American views — it makes a very, very big difference.
Among American-born New Yorkers, Cuomo leads at 40% while Mamdani has only 32%. Sliwa has 25%. The poll shows Mamdani at the top of the pack, with 43% of the overall vote, Cuomo with 34% of that vote, and Sliwa with 19%.
If that’s accurate, it would mean that Sliwa dropping out would mean that Mamdani would likely lose.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2302-mamdani-s-last-stand?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>
It appears that TikTok has been putting its thumb on the scale in favor of Mamdani. The amount of online manipulation that is now part of our daily culture is truly astonishing. We saw it during BLM. We saw it during COVID. We&#8217;ve seen it most recently during the Israel-Hamas War, in which extraordinary amounts of propaganda were put out by foreign actors on TikTok and on X, deliberately designed to split the American body politic over that particular issue.
And now TikTok has been heavily promoting Zohran Mamdani.
According to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/10/22/business/tiktok-boosting-pro-mamdani-content-suppressing-pro-cuomo-clips-ahead-of-nyc-mayoral-election-report/">New York Post</a>:
<blockquote>TikTok is allegedly putting its thumb on the scale to help far-left New York state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani win the New York City mayoralty, a new report claims.The Chinese-owned app’s algorithm is “distorting the playing field in New York City’s mayoral race” by “amplifying” pro-Mamdani content while “suppressing” videos backing his opponent, Andrew Cuomo …</blockquote>
It is not a shock that the Chinese-based app would prefer a Marxist Islamist as the mayor of New York. 
In last night’s debate, when questioned in any serious fashion about his views, Mamdani had nothing. He&#8217;s got that phony, smarmy, pasted-on smile that sends a chill up the spine of everyone who can identify basic authenticity, but seems to charm the pants off a bunch of wild leftists who see Mamdani smiling and somehow think it’s genuine.
Cuomo and Sliwa went on the attack. It got hot. The reality is that on the debate stage, Sliwa was the best. There&#8217;s no question that Curtis is the best person on the debate stage.
The problem, of course, is that Curtis is a Republican. He&#8217;s never going to break 25% of the vote, not for love or money.
This has been a major issue, at least for the last several weeks. It&#8217;s been clear that the only way to beat Mamdani would be for there to be a consolidation of the vote.
Curtis was asked about dropping out and basically melted down, saying, “I have armed security guards now protecting my life. And Nancy&#8217;s like I&#8217;ve been bribed by the billionaires to drop out of here. If anything happens to me or anything happens to my wife because of this frenzy that I hear constantly coming from some of your colleagues here at WABC, it&#8217;s on you guys. &#8230; my life is on the line here &#8230; The frenzy that is coming out of people&#8217;s mouths &#8230;”
That is not an excuse for why he’s staying in the race. Many of us have armed security at all times. That is the nature of the beast right now. It is just an unfortunate point in American politics.
That is an unfortunate result of so many political actors these days who use unhinged rhetoric about their opponents and include in that unhinged rhetoric, insane conspiracism that leads unhinged people to believe that prominent political commentators and politicians are controlling their lives and making their lives worse in such a way that they can only be removed by force.
Curtis needs to drop out to give Cuomo a shot. Cuomo has run a particularly terrible race. He has basically been a somnambulist throughout this race. He has not run an energetic campaign. He seems to believe the mayoralty should simply fall in his lap.
But Mamdani didn&#8217;t get out of this debate scot-free; Cuomo launched a blistering attack, pointing out that Mamdani is a leech on the ass of society, that he has never held a job, and has been a completely useless person his entire life, which is absolutely true. He is a trust fund baby who tried to make a career as a bad rapper before getting elected to the Assembly, where he ditched pretty much every major vote. He is 33 years old and has yet to hold a real job, and he&#8217;s running for mayor of the financial capital of Planet Earth.
Cuomo blasted:
<blockquote>You have never had a job. You&#8217;ve never accomplished anything. There&#8217;s no reason to believe you have any merit or qualification for 8.5 million lives. You don&#8217;t know how to run a government, you don&#8217;t know how to handle an emergency, and you&#8217;ve literally never proposed the bill on anything that you&#8217;re not talking about in your campaign. You had the worst attendance record in the assembly, and you gave yourselves the highest raise in the United States of America. You went from 110,000 to $140,000, and then you never showed up for work and you missed 80% of the votes. Shame on you!</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Andrew Cuomo just eviscerated Zohran Mamdani for being a snake oil salesman.
“You’ve never had a job. You’ve never accomplished anything. You never proposed a bill in NY senate to fix anything. You had the worst attendance. You never even showed up. SHAME ON YOU.” <a href="https://t.co/N184Nrme43">pic.twitter.com/N184Nrme43</a>
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) <a href="https://twitter.com/EYakoby/status/1981146015714726293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @EYakoby/X.com
I cannot deal with Mamdani’s smile. I can&#8217;t. It&#8217;s so creepy and weird. The fakeness, the inauthenticity of this phony, phony human being is sinister.
He just says “affordability” and the “future” a lot. And what does he mean by affordability? He means that he is going to promise a bunch of things he can&#8217;t actually fulfill, because he doesn&#8217;t have the capacity to raise state taxes. He wants city-owned grocery stores and a $30 minimum wage.
This is crazy. He is a weirdo creep, a Marxist who seems to believe that he can run a junior high presidential campaign in which you promise no homework and free candy every day, and people will vote for it.
Mamdani is the scavenger coalition — all in one human. I talk in my book “Lions and Scavengers” about the Scavenger Coalition, which would be the leeches, vultures, and barbarians. He&#8217;s trying to appeal to all three. He really is more on the barbarian line, meaning he is somebody who is not originally from the United States, who does not believe in the basic ideals of the United States, but is using the free speech and freedom of thought and free politics in the United States to make his way to destroy the civilization from the inside.
And he is making promises he has no intention of keeping.
As I said before, this is a junior high school presidential campaign where he promises free cookies and milk, endless candy, and no homework.
And if New Yorkers buy this, they&#8217;re going to get to take the ride after they buy the ticket.
Curtis should drop out of the race. I&#8217;ve said it over and over. He does not have a path to victory. I&#8217;m of a divided mind about this because I still have the H.L. Mencken phraseology in my mind, which is that democracy is the theory that people get what they vote for, good and hard.
But as someone who would like to see New York not become even more of a s***hole than it has become recently, I&#8217;m obviously rooting very hard for the defeat of this Marxist Islamist.

US-POLITICS-VOTE-NEW YORK-DEBATE

Mamdani’s Last Stand

Andrew Cuomo

Ben Shapiro

Eric Adams

Mayor

As climate alarmists gather in New York City for “Climate Week,” a new mobile billboard has popped up that chips away at the alliance between Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul and radical environmental groups.
The mobile billboard features images of Hochul wearing a MAGA-style hat saying “Make Nuclear Great Again,” photos of the vehicle obtained by The Daily Wire show. The mobile billboard highlights Hochul’s recent promise to bring a new nuclear power plant to New York.
The billboard features a quote from Hochul describing plans for the new plant as “a model of 21st century nuclear design.” The mobile first started driving around New York City on Monday and will continue until Wednesday.
<div id="attachment_976045" style="width: 1290px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-976045" class="size-full wp-image-976045" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MBB_6.jpeg" alt="" width="1280" height="960" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MBB_6.jpeg 1280w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MBB_6-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MBB_6-768x576.jpeg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />Mobile billboard drives through NYC: Daily Wire.</div>
Nuclear power is a form of energy frequently opposed by environmentalist groups who prefer things like wind or solar power. The Daily Wire reached out to multiple environmentalist groups like the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Greenpeace that have previously expressed support for Hochul, yet also oppose nuclear energy.
The Sierra Club <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/nuclear-free" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> that it is “unequivocally opposed to nuclear energy” and wants to work to “phase out nuclear as quickly as possible.” The Natural Resource Defense Council has also <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/nuclear-power-101" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed</a> skepticism about nuclear energy.
Both those organizations <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/making-oil-companies-pay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> Hochul’s <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/governor-hochul-signs-bill-make-polluters-pay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">establishment</a> in December of a “Climate Superfund” that her office claimed <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-landmark-legislation-creating-new-climate-superfund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shifted</a> “the cost of climate adaptation from everyday New Yorkers to the fossil fuel companies most responsible for the pollution.&#8221;
Additionally, Greenpeace <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/climate/issues/nuclear/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> that nuclear energy is “dirty, expensive, and dangerous” and argues that it’s “bad for the economy.” The organization previously <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/greenpeace-usa-applauds-new-york-governor-hochuls-moratorium-on-crypto-mining/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">applauded</a> Hochul after she signed a moratorium on crypto mining.
President Donald Trump, who ripped into solar and wind power on Tuesday during his speech to the United Nations, took executive action in May “to modernize nuclear regulation, streamline nuclear reactor testing, deploy nuclear reactors for national security, and reinvigorate the nuclear industrial base.”
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Hochul <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-directs-new-york-power-authority-develop-zero-emission-advanced-nuclear-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directed</a> the New York Power Authority “to develop and construct a zero-emission advanced nuclear power plant.”
That decision was met with criticism from some environmentalists who accused her of adopting Trump policies. The group Public Power NY <a href="https://publicpowerny.org/press-releases/public-power-ny-responds-to-hochuls-order-for-new-york-power-authority-to-build-nuclear-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the decision was “based on promises from Donald Trump&#8221; that &#8220;shows just how unserious she is about New Yorkers&#8217; energy bills and climate future.”
Hochul, who is running for re-election, is viewed favorably by fewer than 50% of New Yorkers, <a href="https://sri.siena.edu/2025/09/16/hochul-approval-favorability-ratings-up-a-little-favorability-best-since-jan-24-majority-hochul-works-hard-demonstrates-honesty-integrity-plurality-gets-things-done-provides-dec/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to recent polling.

MixCollage-23-Sep-2025-04-07-PM-3120

Mobile Billboard Trolls Kathy Hochul In NYC As She Faces Criticism From Climate Activists

Climate Change

Environmentalists

Greenpeace

Nuclear Power

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.

MixCollage-16-Sep-2025-09-55-AM-4884

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

The FBI broadens its investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination, New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani scores a major endorsement, and the White House threatens Brazil after its Supreme Court sentences the “Trump of the Tropics.”
It’s Tuesday, September 16, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;">FBI Probes Larger Plot In Kirk Assassination</h2>
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Topline: As conservatives rally following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the FBI says it’s investigating radical left-wing groups for potential ties to the killer. 
Among those being investigated is the far-left pro-transgender group Armed Queers Salt Lake City. It deleted its Instagram account shortly after the shooting, but a membership form online listed its core principles, which included “the armed and militant protection of queer and trans communities,” “trans liberation,” and an “organized revolutionary movement.”
The Bureau is also investigating a number of social media accounts that seemingly displayed foreknowledge of the assassination. In one instance, a leftist X user wrote a week before Kirk’s killing: “it’d be funny if someone like Charlie Kirk got shot on September 10th.” According to FBI Director Kash Patel, suspected assassin Tyler Robinson told at least one person beforehand what he planned on doing.
What they’re saying: White House Deputy Chief Stephen Miller vowed to channel his “righteous anger” to go after “networks” of leftists in a special edition of The Charlie Kirk Show hosted by Vice President JD Vance on Monday.
“It is a vast domestic terror movement, and with God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have&#8230; throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and destroy these networks&#8230; and we will do it in Charlie’s name,” Miller <a href="https://x.com/avaricum777/status/1967627688711250054">said</a>.
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Establishment Dems Begin To Fall In Line With Mamdani</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-972677 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Hochul-Backs-Mamdani.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
Topline: New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul has endorsed far-left NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a sign that the Democratic Party establishment is moving behind the 33-year-old radical.
Hochul notably kept her distance from him during the New York City mayoral primary – Mamdani is an open democratic socialist and has some extremely far-left ideas, including the establishment of <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/05/us-news/socialist-nyc-mayoral-candidates-city-run-supermarket-plan-under-fire/">government-run grocery stores</a>. But Hochul’s flip could draw other prominent Democratic leaders into Mamdani’s camp.
Hochul said in an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/opinion/hochul-endorsement-mamdani.html">op-ed</a> in The New York Times that she’s backing Mamdani because of his focus on “affordability” and resisting President Donald Trump.
Step back: Mamdani is favored to be New York City’s next mayor, barring some major shakeup – so Hochul will likely have to work with him. She is also running for re-election in 2026, but is so disliked by folks in the NYC suburbs and most of upstate New York that some politicos <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/14/us-news/ny-gov-kathy-hochul-expected-to-endorse-zohran-mamdani-this-week-sources/">believe</a> she’s trying to lean harder on the urban vote, where Mamdani has strong support.
Trump weighs in: On the heels of Hochul’s endorsement, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115207991871277413">labeled</a> Mamdani the “‘Liddle’ Communist” and described his frontrunner status as a “rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City.”
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Lengthy Prison Sentence For Jair Bolsonaro Strains U.S.-Brazil Relations</h2>
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Topline: After a two-week public trial, Brazil’s five Supreme Court justices sentenced former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison after he was found guilty of an attempted coup. The Trump administration is now threatening severe consequences.
Expert opines: Andres Martinez-Fernandez, senior policy analyst for Latin America at The Heritage Foundation: “This is a case which has a lot of question marks around it, and particularly with this sentencing, which is dramatic, over 25 years, for this person who just a few years ago was occupying the top office in Brazil, is very controversial at the moment. So a lot of Congress in Brazil and others are exploring very actively the need to take action to bypass this sentencing.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in response to the ruling that the United States would “respond accordingly to this witch hunt.”
Martinez-Fernandez: “There&#8217;s a disconnect, I think, that a lot of people see, and this administration certainly sees, between the pursuit of justice and the political priorities that we see the supreme court in Brazil pursuing … and that’s what the administration is really seeking to counter, leveraging the United States&#8217; economic heft and influence in that country. But, it&#8217;s clearly going to be a very significant challenge here.”

Morning Brief: Kirk Probe Expands, Hochul Backs Socialist Mamdani & U.S. Rips Bolsonaro Sentence

Morning Brief: FBI’s Kirk Probe Widens, Hochul Backs Mamdani, U.S. Rips Bolsonaro Prison Sentence

Brazil

Charlie Kirk

Jair Bolsonaro

Marco Rubio

Morning Wire

United States

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

Congress

Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration recently blew nearly $500 million in potential savings for New York taxpayers by failing to move seniors to a federally funded Medicare plan. That’s half a billion dollars — gone — because Kathy Hochul couldn’t get her act together. That’s money that could have gone to tax relief, infrastructure, and keeping your utility bills lower.
When it comes to utility bills, National Grid customers in upstate New Yorker should brace themselves for a 15% increase in their bill starting next month. This amounts to about $216 more per customer per year, thanks to Governor Hochul’s green energy scam agenda. Likewise, Con Edison has proposed double-digit rate increases that will raise costs for downstate residents, driving up their utility bills as early as January 2026.
And that’s just the average cost increases. Many families and small businesses will be paying far more at a time when they are already struggling and can’t afford any more increases in their cost of living and doing business.
These increases are not a reflection of market forces or a sudden spike in demand, rather, they are a direct result of action by the governor’s Public Service Commission, which Hochul controls. This board approved the increases to fund her ambitious climate mandates. It’s typical of Albany: self-righteous politicians pushing you to “do your part” by paying more, even when you’re already struggling.
Why are these things happening? For starters, Kathy Hochul is incompetent and instead of addressing these problems and protecting you, she prioritizes politics. Currently, she’s focused on her crusade to illegally gerrymander New York’s congressional map – a scheme that the courts, and voters, already rejected. When the rules don’t work for the Democratic Party, Hochul tries to change them.
Hochul and her cronies describe mid-decade redistricting as “undemocratic,” yet in the same breath she and her fellow New York Democrats <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/new-york-redistricting-hochul-00475043" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have declared</a> they will engage in mid-decade redistricting. In other words – their words – they’re going to take undemocratic actions in order to “save democracy” in America. The hypocrisy and absurdity of this is unparalleled, and New York voters can see right through it. The voters and the courts in this state have already made it clear the people must have the ability to choose their representatives, rather than politicians manufacturing uncompetitive districts and forcing their preferred candidates down everybody’s throats.
New York voters overwhelmingly supported a nonpartisan redistricting process. However, Democrats ignored them, blatantly gerrymandered districts, and when they were thrown out by the courts, they corrupted the Court of Appeals to get their way. Now, they are looking to stomp on the Constitution again for another shot at rigging the system to protect their power. Meanwhile, New York taxpayers continue to struggle with rising costs and a deteriorating quality of life in their communities.
This is not leadership. It’s political wheeling and dealing at its worst, and taxpayers are footing the bill.
Albany’s ruling class has made their priorities clear: your paycheck, your bills, and your future come second to their grip on power.
Until we get a governor who will put people over politics, rein in spending, protect ratepayers, and actually focus on making New York affordable again, New Yorkers will keep paying for Kathy Hochul’s failures.
* * *
Robert G. Ortt was sworn into office as a New York State Senator for the 62nd District in January of 2015. He serves as the Republican Senate Minority Leader.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

NY Governor Hochul Delivers Remarks At MTA Board Meeting

While Gov. Hochul Is Busy Rigging Elections, NY Taxpayers Bear The Burden

Democrats

Energy

Green New Deal

Trump ally Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is set to launch her campaign for New York governor, giving Republicans new hope of flipping the traditionally deep blue Empire State, two sources familiar with Stefanik&#8217;s thinking told The Hill.
&#8220;It&#8217;s not a matter of if, it&#8217;s a matter of when,&#8221; one source close to Stefanik <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5371832-stefanik-prepares-launch-governor-race/">told</a> The Hill, noting that the congresswoman will announce &#8220;at the time and place&#8221; of her choosing.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Stefanik has been considering a run in recent months, following President Trump&#8217;s decision to withdraw her nomination to serve as U.N. ambassador, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stepping-up-as-a-team-stefanik-reacts-after-trump-withdraws-nomination">deeming</a> it too risky to put her competitive district up for an open election ahead of Trump&#8217;s push for his &#8220;big, beautiful bill.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
RUN <a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliseStefanik</a> RUN!! <a href="https://t.co/EJu4v6jz2n">https://t.co/EJu4v6jz2n</a>
&mdash; Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/megynkelly/status/1938350682106458604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Stefanik was the number four Republican in the House, serving as Chair of the House Republican Conference after replacing former Rep. Liz Cheney, before being briefly nominated as U.N. ambassador.
Polling indicates strong support for the Trump ally, with a GrayHouse survey showing Stefanik commanding 44% among Republican primary voters compared to just 7% for Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and 5% for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, both of whom received Trump endorsements for reelection to their current positions last month.
Republicans have reason for optimism in the traditionally Democratic stronghold, as the GOP has made significant gains in recent elections.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
Trump lost New York by just over 12 points in 2024, a dramatic 11-point <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-the-nation-told-us-in-2024-state-by-state/">improvement</a> from his 2020 performance, while current Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul defeated Republican challenger Lee Zeldin by only 6 points in her 2022 race. However, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report still considers the upcoming gubernatorial contest &#8220;likely Democratic.&#8221;
Stefanik, 41, has risen quickly through the Republican ranks since first being elected to Congress in 2014 at the age of 30 – at that time, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Her national profile grew significantly during former President Trump&#8217;s first impeachment proceedings, when she emerged as one of his most vocal defenders.
Republicans have been increasingly competitive in parts of New York, particularly in Long Island and Hudson Valley districts that helped the party secure a narrow House majority in 2022. Economic concerns, rising crime rates, and migration issues have become prominent topics that GOP candidates have successfully leveraged to win local races.
Stefanik&#8217;s run would come after socialist Zohran Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday&#8217;s Democratic mayoral primary, inciting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/billionaire-pledges-to-bankroll-any-nyc-mayoral-candidate-who-can-beat-zohran-mamdani?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Billionaire+Pledges+To+Bankroll+Any+NYC+Mayoral+Candidate+Who+Can+Beat+Zohran+Mamdani">panic</a> among many in the city and providing a fruitful target for the New York Representative.
Mamdani, a state assemblyman representing parts of Queens, has championed policies that alarm fiscal conservatives and moderate Democrats alike. His <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-are-the-top-five-craziest-policy-proposals-from-nyc-mayor-candidates?author=Catherine+Maxwell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here+Are+The+Top+Five+Craziest+Policy+Proposals+From+NYC+Mayor+Candidates">platform</a> includes advocating for city-owned supermarkets, rent freezing measures, and significant reallocations of police funding to social services.
Stefanik would likely face incumbent Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul in the 2026 general election.
Hochul, who took office in 2021 following Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s resignation amid sexual harassment allegations, has faced criticism over her handling of crime and the state&#8217;s high cost of living, issues that could provide an opening for Republicans to make further inroads with New York voters.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Worst Governor in America Kathy Hochul desperately tries to distance herself from the Defund the Police, raging antisemite Communist except Kathy refuses to denounce any of his insane Marxist policies. She OWNS this catastrophic candidate who will destroy NYC. 
Kathy Hochul… <a href="https://t.co/ifBXhTFEGx">https://t.co/ifBXhTFEGx</a>
&mdash; Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik/status/1938308720230105133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Stefanik/Hochul

Elise Stefanik Set To Challenge Hochul For New York Governor

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