Lawler to sit out N.Y. governor's race, seek reelection in House

Congressman Mike Lawler says he will run for reelection in his Hudson Valley House district in the 2026 midterms, forgoing a bid for New York governor.

Lawler had been considering a gubernatorial run, among the Republicans looking to challenge incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul in next year's statewide election. But he said in an interview Wednesday morning that he intends to stay in the House representing the 17th Congressional District.

"There's no question Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America," Lawler told "Fox and Friends." "But after months of deliberating over this and really working through it, I've decided the right thing to do for me and my family and my district is to run for reelection. My seat was determinative of control of the House back in 2022 and again in 2024. I'm one of only three Republicans that won a seat that Kamala Harris also won. Keeping the House majority is critical if we are going to continue to move this economy in the right direction."

Lawler's seat has been targeted by Democrats in past election cycles and is a key part of Republicans' current narrow House majority.

Later, Lawler couldn't resist taking a shot at Hochul, telling CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer, "New York leads the nation in out migration, not because of the weather but because of its policies. It has the most awful business climate, the highest taxes."

Hochul responded on social media, saying, "This is the same Mike Lawler who caved to Trump the minute he asked to rip away New Yorkers' health care. Of course he doesn't have the spine to face me."

President Trump appeared to weigh in on the governor's race back in May, with what experts said was a not-so-subtle attempt to clear the field for upstate Rep. Elise Stefanik to get the GOP nomination. Mr. Trump had initially tapped Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, but she withdrew her name from consideration two months later as Mr. Trump asked her to stay in Congress to protect Republicans' razor-thin majority.

In a pair of social media posts on May 6, Mr. Trump endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for reelection this November and Lawler for reelection in 2026.

"As I've said repeatedly, you know, when it comes to deciding about whether to run for governor or reelection, I'll be making that decision in June, and so we're still going through that process," Lawler responded at the time.

"Mike Lawler is a great, effective, and hardworking Representative for New York's 17th Congressional District and is committed to protecting the House Republican Majority. As I have previously stated, I am focused on supporting strong Republican local and county candidates on the ballot this November to lay the groundwork with a strong team for next year," Stefanik wrote in a statement Wednesday. "I will make a final decision and announcement after this year's November election which we are all focused on."

Hochul and Stefanik recently sparred during a congressional hearing on sanctuary policies, and the governor has said "bring it on" to whomever she faces next fall. Meanwhile, her number two, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, is also running to replace her.

"Under Kathy Hochul's failed Far Left Democrat rule, a radical Communist Defund-the-Police Antisemite may be elected mayor of New York City, a CBP officer was just brutally shot in the face by an illegal in NY due to dangerous sanctuary state laws, and New Yorkers are fleeing the highest-taxed state in the nation," Stefanik wrote.

• Bruce Blakeman
• Elise Stefanik
• Mike Lawler
• Kathy Hochul