Latest news with #TeamElise
Yahoo
12-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hochul leads Stefanik by 14 points in NY governor poll
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) holds a 14-point lead over Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) in a new poll from Siena, down from the 23-point lead the incumbent enjoyed in June. Fifty-three percent of those polled said they approve of the job Hochul is doing, while 42 percent disapproved and 5 percent didn't have an opinion. The poll suggested that independents are shifting toward Stefanik, which could help the Republican if she is to deprive Hochul of a second term. 'More than two-thirds of Democrats are with Hochul and three-quarters of Republicans are with Stefanik. Independents are closely divided, leaning toward Stefanik, after favoring Hochul in June,' Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said in a Tuesday release. 'New York City voters remain solidly behind Hochul, however downstate suburban voters went from favoring Hochul by 11 points in June to narrowly favoring Stefanik now, and upstate voters had given Hochul a 12-point lead, and are now virtually evenly divided,' he added. Stefanik, a vocal critic of illegal immigration and proponent for deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status, will likely capitalize on support for tougher immigration policies. But 41 percent of voters said they don't know who Stefanik is, signaling the Republican must do more just to make voters aware of her. Thirty-two percent of those who do know who she is held an unfavorable view of her in the poll, compared to 27 percent who said she's likable. 'Stefanik clearly has room to grow with voters – either positively or negatively. While 49 percent of voters say they are very or somewhat familiar with her, 46 percent are not very or not at all familiar with Stefanik,' Greenberg said. 'Republicans think she has the right experience to be governor, Democrats don't, and independents are closely divided. More than three-quarters of Republicans think it would be good for New York if Stefanik ran and won, while more than two-thirds of Democrats and a plurality of independents think it would be bad for the state.' According to the poll, more than half of voters, 58 percent, had an overall unfavorable view of Republicans in Congress. Thirty-four percent said GOP members in Washington are favorable and 8 percent said they don't know or have no opinion. Comparably, 49 percent said Democrats in Congress were unfavorable, 42 percent said they were favorable and 9 percent didn't know or had no opinion. 'The latest Siena poll is catastrophic for Kathy Hochul as she is losing independent voters to Elise Stefanik, is below 50 percent on the ballot, and only 35 percent of voters want to re-elect Kathy Hochul as voters are increasingly looking to Elise Stefanik to deliver new leadership,' Team Elise Executive Director Alex DeGrasse said in a statement sent to The Hill. 'Chairwoman Elise Stefanik will continue to focus on providing results such as delivering the largest middle class tax cut in New York history,' DeGrasse continued. ' She will repeal Kathy Hochul's failed bail reform and dangerous sanctuary cities policies and cut taxes for New Yorkers.' The Hill reached out to Hochul's campaign for comment. Updated at 12:47 p.m. EDT. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Politico
04-06-2025
- Business
- Politico
Elise Stefanik, a potential candidate for governor, focuses on New York's local races
ALBANY, New York — Republican Elise Stefanik, who's considering a run for governor next year, is turning to races close to home. The House Republican on Wednesday will announce the creation of a political action committee to raise cash on behalf of local Republican candidates in New York. She's expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to start. One check will go this week to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's campaign through an existing New York GOP account she oversees. Blakeman, like Stefanik, is a staunch ally of President Donald Trump. And like Stefanik, he also has not ruled out a gubernatorial campaign next year. 'Candidates know that when they have the support of Team Elise — this is a highly professionalized team that knows how to turn out the vote and win, and we're going to do that across statewide,' she told POLITICO in an interview. Formation of the PAC — dubbed Save New York — is the latest indication that Stefanik is moving toward a possible 2026 run for governor. Contributions to local-level candidates in otherwise low-profile elections for town supervisor, city council or county office will help strengthen her standing with Republican leaders who will be influential in determining their party's standard bearer against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul next year. Stefanik indicated the money will be spread widely among Republicans, though there is no fundraising target for the PAC. Ideal candidates are 'someone who is saving New York and they're a Republican on the ballot,' she said. Stefanik has raised millions of dollars over the years to Republican candidates around the country. Her record is mixed. A notable miss was her backing of controversial businessperson Carl Paladino in a House GOP primary over Rep. Nick Langworthy. She has since mended her relationship with Langworthy. Training Stefanik's formidable fundraising network on local races will be a boon for local Republicans who may otherwise struggle for attention and money, Langworthy said. 'It used to be all politics is local. Unfortunately, all politics has become national,' he added. 'If she can focus some of that back on our Republican infrastructure in New York, it will help pave the momentum for what we have to do in 2026.' Stefanik represents a deep red and largely rural House seat that borders Canada. She has a national profile, but is making a clear effort to solidify her ties with downstate Republicans. Stefanik spoke this week at a GOP confab on Staten Island and will be appearing with Republican officials on Long Island as well as Erie County in western New York. She's also set to host a June 17 fundraiser in New York City with state and city Republican lawmakers. The effort is the latest political turn for Stefanik, who withdrew her nomination as Trump's United Nations ambassador earlier this year over concerns her vacancy would damage the House Republicans' razor thin majority. Now weighing a bid for governor, she would have to surrender a safe seat to run statewide in New York, a deep blue state that has not elected a Republican governor since George Pataki's third term win in 2002. Hochul has middling approval numbers, but Trump is deeply unpopular in his native state — further complicating a Republican's chances next year. Hochul's estranged lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, announced Monday he will challenge her in a Democratic primary. In addition to potentially facing Blakeman, Stefanik stands to contend against Rep. Mike Lawler, a suburban New York City moderate who is considered by many Republicans to be the most competitive candidate to take on Hochul. A Siena College poll last month showed Stefanik is the early frontrunner with Republican voters over Lawler and Blakeman. Stefanik already has a strong relationship with statewide political leaders whose support will be crucial for the nomination. 'She is moving in the direction of running,' said Conservative Party Chair Gerard Kassar, whose organization will honor her at a June 18 event. 'The Conservative Party would be leaning her way in the event she was planning to run. She's very popular in the party.' Lawler, who was recently endorsed by Trump to run for reelection in his swing House seat, has said he will make a decision on running for governor this month. Stefanik does not have a specific timetable for her announcement, but indicated she will campaign aggressively if she does. 'We don't run for second place,' she said. 'We run to win and I'm going to make the decision in the coming months.'
