Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) launched her 2026 gubernatorial marketing campaign Friday, pledging to “clear up Kathy Hochul's disaster” and make New York “secure and inexpensive” if elected to Albany.
“The Empire State has fallen,” the narrator states in Stefanik's dramatic marketing campaign kickoff video, obtained completely by The Publish.
Imagery of Hochul juxtaposed with bleak headlines describing New York's excessive tax charges, migrant crime and the “exodus of middle-class” residents mark the primary 60 seconds or so of the two-and-a-half-minute video.
“Kathy Hochul's failed insurance policies are responsible,” the narrator continues, arguing that the Democratic incumbent has made New York “probably the most unaffordable state within the nation, crushing households with sky-high taxes, unaffordable lease, hovering vitality prices and record-high grocery payments.”
Stefanik's video slams the governor's help for New York Metropolis's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, accusing her of getting “cozied up” to a “defund-the-police, tax-hiking, antisemitic Communist.”
The launch video, titled, “From the Ashes,” asserts that “New York will rise, like we all the time do,” with Stefanik in cost.
“The spirit of the Empire State can't be damaged. All we want is a brave chief prepared for the struggle,” the advert continues. “Elise Stefanik will make New York inexpensive and secure.”
Stefanik is described as a “working mother, congresswoman and fighter,” who “is aware of households want extra assist.”
“She'll make New York inexpensive,” the narrator reiterates. “Elise will cut back your vitality utility and grocery payments.”
The video alludes to Stefanik's profitable effort to extend the state and native tax (SALT) deduction cap to $40,000, and her fierce questioning of college presidents on Capitol Hill amid a spate of antisemitic incidents on school campuses in recent times.
“She fought woke madness in our faculties, stood proudly with legislation enforcement, championed small companies and can by no means again down from preventing for New York households,” the narrator continues.
“With every thing on the road, we want somebody who will ship outcomes and make New York inexpensive and secure for households and small companies, to not simply survive, however thrive.”
The video guarantees voters that Stefanik will “restore New York's greatness,” and concludes together with her obvious marketing campaign motto: “Elise Stefanik for governor. It's time to save lots of New York.”
“We now have crisscrossed the state. The overwhelming outpouring of help from Republicans, independents and Democrats is that we want a brand new governor to save lots of our state,” Stefanik advised The Publish Thursday.
Stefanik has been eagerly prepping a Hochul problem, assembling an “all-star” staff of New York-native strategists and workers in key areas — as polls have began exhibiting her neck and neck towards the Democratic incumbent in a hypothetical showdown.
The high-profile upstate congresswoman — a fierce ally of President Trump — is looking for to turn out to be the primary Republican chief of the Empire State in 20 years.
