Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) will not challenge New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) after considering a bid for months, likely clearing the way for Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to become the GOP nominee if she follows through with her expected candidacy.
Lawler will instead seek reelection in his battleground House district where Democrats will seek to oust him as part of the party’s efforts to win back control of the House. Democrats, however, fell short in the district by more than 6 points last November.
Lawler is considered among the stronger candidates as one of the more moderate members of the GOP, giving some Republicans hope that he could have potentially pulled off an upset against Hochul in 2026.
But he told The New York Times that he wouldn’t run for the Empire State’s top elected job, though he still views himself as the best candidate to face Hochul.
“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,” he told the outlet.
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