Despite her close alignment with Donald Trump, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has yet to secure the president’s endorsement over other Republican candidates vying for the GOP nomination for New York governor.
The lack of support has left Stefanik’s allies puzzled, particularly given Trump’s previous nomination of her as UN ambassador and her status as a prominent House ally. According to Politico, the race to challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) is considered a two-person contest between Stefanik and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
While Trump has publicly praised both candidates as people he approves of, Stefanik supporters are frustrated by his refusal to choose sides. They fear a costly primary battle in a state where Republicans face an uphill political battle.
Republican Assemblymember Josh Jensen, a Stefanik supporter, expressed his frustration to Politico: “A primary doesn’t help us at all, but I think at the end of the day the president is going to have to weigh in. A lot of Republican voters are going to be very interested in what he has to say.”
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Trump has further complicated matters by praising both candidates this week, calling them “two fantastic people” and suggesting a primary could produce a stronger nominee. “I hope there’s not a lot of damage done … Sometimes it works the other way — the victor ends up being much stronger,” he said.
Trump’s public ambivalence has created significant challenges for Republicans hoping to reclaim the governor’s office for the first time in two decades.
Early polling shows Hochul maintaining a lead in the race.
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