Posted on 12/20/2025 3:48:48 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Summary
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) ended her campaign for New York governor on December 20, 2025, weeks after launching it on November 7, despite leading in polls. She also announced she will not seek re-election to her House seat, which expires in January 2027.
Sources close to Stefanik attributed the withdrawal to President Trump's refusal to fully endorse her, instead remaining neutral in the GOP primary against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a longtime friend of Trump. Trump described both candidates as "fantastic people," hosted each separately at the White House, and expressed discomfort with their competition.
New York Republican operatives described the lack of emphatic endorsement as demoralizing for Stefanik, marking a second setback after Trump withdrew her nomination as U.S. ambassador to the UN in March 2025 to retain her House vote for his agenda.
Stefanik cited the contested primary and challenges of running in New York as factors in her decision.
Following her announcement, Trump praised Stefanik on social media as a "tremendous talent" with whom he is "all the way." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, a former Stefanik aide, also expressed support, calling her a "true friend" to the president.
Blakeman had previously stated that Trump appreciates competition in primaries.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
If it were Illinois, I’d assume that somebody had dirt on her.
Maybe he’s getting tired of the female drama that invariably arises.
Looks to me like Trump threw her under the bus
I do not say that lightly.
I wondered if this had something to do with it. President Trump had not endorsed Stefanik for governor, but endorsed Blakeman today.
I believe she is correct - to have a realistic chance of winning the Gov race in NY, there really can’t be a Republican primary - just not enough $ for both Primary and General election. Lee Zeldin experienced this in 2022.
Maybe Blakeman can win as he’s won twice in the Nassau County County Executive race and that is a Democrat county. Stefanik would have had the name recognition and has been a strong supporter of President Trump. Between Trump’s lack of endorsement and Mike Johnson not giving back her leadership position in the House after Trump asked her to withdraw her name for UN Ambassador, it sounds like she figured it was time to bolt.
Except the only drama was President Trump’s nomination of her as UN Ambassador and then asking her to withdraw the nomination.
let’s see: Elise took one for the team by agreeing to withdraw as UN Ambassador because DJT needed the vote in the House. waiting for her replacement would put BBB in jeopardy. she led the charge on antisemitism on nation’s
most prominent campuses. she was a loyal soldier in Congress.she steps forward to take on the tough battle for NY governor - and DJT plays coy - no endorsement. a few days after she bows out of House and NY races, he names his pal Blakeman. now tell me where the female drama was, eh? one was a loyal patriot and had had enough - and the other is exposed as a bit of a turkey. name your favorite.
I can endorse Ukraine to win against Russia. Doesn’t mean it’s gonna happen. Same thing with ANY Republican to win NY governor.
This article is alot of speculative innuendo relying on unnamed “GOP operatives” and anonomous “New York Republicans” for their evidence.
Pure conjecture masquerading as verifiable fact.
Susie is Rasputin.
(New tagline.)
Stefanik was a good team player in recent years, but I won't miss her in politics. She was a Bush disciple who changed her political persona depending on what role she was angling for. To this day, I have no idea what her political principles are (if she even has any).
That’s just standard resign/step down/ withdraw whatever excuse. If it were the real reason she wouldn’t have run in the first place because she had her child when she announced she was running.
Pure conjecture masquerading as verifiable fact.“
Exactly and l am very skeptical
Why wouldn’t Johnson give her position back. What a jerk.
I seem to recall that he tries not to endorse in primaries. IDK if true.
More here:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5241553-elise-stefanik-house-gop-leadership/
Prior to being nominated for UN Ambassador, she was the Number 4 Republican in the House Leadership.
Not a fan of Johnson, but you play the hand you are dealt.
If she’d only dyed her hair blonde, Trump would have raced to endorse her.
Agreed, but it seems as though no one on the transition team initially considered that. I believe I read somewhere at the time that it was Stefanik that alerted the transition team about there was no way that Hochul would call for a special election.
She was on the board of NED. There may be dirt on her related to all that crap that NED gets up to.
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