Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced on Friday that she is running to be governor of New York in 2026, attempting to reignite her political career after failing to become ambassador to the United Nations.

Stefanik, a diehard MAGA supporter of President Donald Trump, said in her announcement video that she wants to bring a “new generation of leadership to Albany” and assailed the current governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul, as “the worst governor in America.”

The Republican is coming off an embarrassing year after Trump first nominated her to be his U.N. ambassador. Fearing that her appointment would endanger the Republican Party’s razor-thin majority in the House, Trump ultimately pulled her nomination in March. He instead selected Mike Waltz, infamous for his role in the “Signalgate” leak scandal.

Stefanik hopes to succeed as a MAGA Republican in hostile territory, right after elections this week showed the Trump brand has once again become toxic to millions of voters.

To win the governorship in New York, Stefanik will have to make inroads in the Democratic stronghold of New York City, where Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani just achieved a dominating victory on a progressive platform. Stefanik has positioned herself against Mamdani and during the campaign furthered bigoted and false allegations against him, labeling him a “terrorist sympathizer.”

The comments were in line with Stefanik’s previous embrace of racist rhetoric, including her promotion of the “great replacement” conspiracy theory. The idea, beloved by white supremacists, alleges that Latino migration to the United States is meant to replace white people.

While Hochul does not have the highest approval ratings, recent polling has not been in Stefanik’s favor. A September survey from Siena College of the possible matchup showed Hochul with a commanding 52 percent to 27 percent lead over the Trump acolyte.

The last time New York elected a Republican governor was over 30 years ago, when George Pataki defeated incumbent Mario Cuomo in 1994. The four governors who followed Pataki have all been Democrats.

New York is not fond of Trumpism. In the 2024 election, former Vice President Kamala Harris defeated Trump there by a 56 percent to 43 percent margin.

Stefanik may need a win after losing out on her U.N. job, but Albany may not be the way.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos