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Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced Friday night that she is ending her campaign for New York governor and will also leave her seat in Congress. The decision was influenced in part by President Donald Trump’s refusal to endorse her candidacy, according to a GOP source familiar with the matter, Fox News reported.
“The biggest piece of this puzzle was Donald Trump and the fact that he passed three times on endorsing her candidacy,” the source told Fox News Digital.
The source said Trump declined to endorse Stefanik even during a recent Oval Office meeting attended by members of the “Miracle on Ice” team. The source said Stefanik believed Trump’s lack of support played the largest role in her decision.
According to the source, Stefanik entered the race last month believing she had a clear path to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
That calculation changed after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Trump ally, entered the Republican primary earlier this month. The source said Blakeman’s entry made it clear Stefanik would face a contested primary.
The source said Trump’s neutrality, combined with the prospect of a prolonged primary, factored heavily into Stefanik’s decision.
“When you start to add these things up, it does not seem that you’re going to have the wind to your back in this cycle,” the source said.
The source said Stefanik’s decision to leave Congress was also driven by a sense that it was time to move on.
In a post on X Friday afternoon, Stefanik thanked supporters across the political spectrum.
“I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all across the state,” Stefanik wrote.
She said continuing with a lengthy Republican primary would not be an effective use of time or campaign resources.
Stefanik has been one of Trump’s most loyal allies in Congress and defended him during both impeachment proceedings.
Trump previously nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. That nomination was later withdrawn amid concerns Republicans could lose her House seat in a special election.
After Blakeman entered the gubernatorial race, Trump declined to endorse either candidate.
“Elise is fantastic and Bruce is,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Trump said he disliked seeing close allies run against one another.
Hochul’s re-election campaign responded to Stefanik’s withdrawal by shifting its focus to Blakeman. In a statement, Hochul’s campaign said Stefanik recognized she would lose against the incumbent governor. The campaign criticized Blakeman’s record in Nassau County and tied him closely to Trump.
The source told Fox News Digital that multiple county leaders have contacted Rep. Mike Lawler about potentially entering the race.
The source said it is premature to say Republicans are coalescing around Blakeman and described the Republican field as fluid and said party leaders are regrouping. The source also said Blakeman could still be a strong general election candidate.
Blakeman subsequently praised Stefanik in a post on X and called for party unity. Lawler also praised Stefanik, calling her a terrific congresswoman and saying she would have been a strong governor.
The White House referred Fox News Digital to public comments from Trump and press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Stefanik and said she would have success regardless of her next move.
Leavitt also praised Stefanik, calling her a close friend of the president and a strong leader.
