READ MORE: Long Island\u2019s Bruce Blakeman is running for governor, will challenge Elise Stefanik in Republican primary<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cI have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don\u2019t further focus on my young son\u2019s safety, growth, and happiness \u2014 particularly at his tender age,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Stefanik was set to have a tough Republican primary against Blakeman, with both politicians counting themselves as allies of President Donald Trump and attempting to court his support. Though, the president had seemed keen on avoiding picking a side in the race, telling reporters recently: \u201cHe\u2019s great, and she\u2019s great. They\u2019re both great people.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Friday, Trump, writing on his Truth Social media platform, called Stefanik a \u201cfantastic person and congresswoman.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cElise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!\u201d Trump wrote.<\/p>\n
Stefanik, who represents a conservative congressional district in northern New York, has been an intense critic of incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is also seeking reelection but faces a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.<\/p>\n
Stefanik was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress when she won her first campaign in 2014 at just 30 years old, representing a new generation of Republicans making inroads in Washington. She ultimately rose to her party\u2019s leadership in the House when she became the chair of the House Republican Conference in 2021.<\/p>\n
First viewed as a moderate when she came to Washington, Stefanik became\u00a0far more conservative\u00a0as Trump began to dominate the party. Once someone who refused to say Trump\u2019s name, she became one of his top defenders during his first impeachment inquiry. She would go on to vote against certifying the 2020 election results, even after a violent mob stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.<\/p>\n
Last year, Stefanik was tapped to become the\u00a0president\u2019s ambassador\u00a0to the United Nations, though her nomination was later\u00a0pulled\u00a0over concerns about her party\u2019s narrow margins in the House. She then began to\u00a0angle toward a run\u00a0for governor.<\/p>\n
Stefanik\u2019s decision follows a clash with Speaker Mike Johnson, whom she accused of lying before embarking on a series of media interviews criticizing him. In one with The Wall Street Journal, she called Johnson a \u201cpolitical novice\u201d and said he wouldn\u2019t be reelected speaker if the vote were held today.<\/p>\n
The tumultuous early December episode appeared to cool when Johnson said he and Stefanik had a \u201cgreat talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI called her and I said, \u2018Why wouldn\u2019t you just come to me, you know?\u2019\u201d Johnson said. \u201cSo we had some intense fellowship about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Stefanik, the chairwoman of the House Republican leadership, has not fully walked back her criticisms. A Dec. 2 social media post remains online in which, after a provision she championed was omitted from a defense authorization bill, Stefanik accused Johnson of falsely claiming he was unaware of it, calling it \u201cmore lies from the Speaker.\u201d<\/p>\n
State Republican Chairman Ed Cox said the party respected Stefanik\u2019s decision and thanked her for her efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cBruce Blakeman has my endorsement and I urge our State Committee and party leaders to join me,\u201d Cox said in a prepared statement. \u201cBruce is a fighter who has proven he knows how to win in difficult political terrain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Associated Press writers Steven Sloan and Joey Cappelletti contributed from Washington.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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