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Representative Mike Lawler’s decision clears a path for his Republican House colleague, Elise Stefanik, to challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul.
July 23, 2025, 7:00 a.m. ET
Representative Mike Lawler, Republican of New York, plans to seek re-election in his crucial Hudson Valley swing seat next year rather than run for governor, he told The New York Times on Wednesday.
Mr. Lawler had been openly exploring a campaign against Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, for months. Many Republicans viewed the congressman, who has consistently won in a Democratic-leaning district, as their most viable candidate in a left-leaning state.
But with Republicans preparing to defend a minuscule House majority, he was under intense pressure from President Trump and congressional allies to run for re-election. The president made his views clear in a private meeting at the White House last week, according to a person familiar with the conversation.
“While I fundamentally believe I am best positioned to take on Kathy Hochul and offer New Yorkers a real choice for governor, I have made the decision to run for re-election to the House and continue the important work I’ve been doing over the past two and a half years,” Mr. Lawler said.
He called Ms. Hochul the “worst governor in America” and suggested he would still work to try to defeat her in 2026.
Mr. Lawler’s much-anticipated decision to forgo the governor’s race will help clear a path for Representative Elise Stefanik, a fellow New York Republican and close ally of Mr. Trump, who is positioning herself for a statewide run. Both Republicans had said in recent weeks they hoped to avoid a primary, and realistically Mr. Lawler would have struggled without Mr. Trump’s support.
