Republican Rep. Mike Lawler announced he will not be running for New York governor. In an interview with “Fox and Friends” on Wednesday morning, he said that he will instead seek reelection to his current seat in the House.
Lawler is a moderate Republican from the Hudson Valley who had previously shown interest in challenging current governor, Kathy Hochul, in 2026. He was seen as a strong contender against Hochul, who became governor after Andrew Cuomo’s 2021 resignation and was elected to a full term in 2022.
Lawler’s position as the representative for New York’s 17th Congressional District is considered a crucial swing seat, especially in recent elections. It is believed Democrats will allocate heavy resources to flip it next year.
Lawler said, “Keeping the House majority is critical if we are going to continue to move this economy in the right direction,” he added that this is “the right thing to do for me and my family and my district.”
Trump had previously endorsed Lawler for reelection in the House calling him “a Strong Champion, and Highly Effective Representative.” The endorsement came while Lawler was still considering a run for governor and is widely seen as a public push from the president for him to stay in Congress.
With Lawler removing himself as a contender, attention turns to other potential Republican challengers. House Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik may still run, and she said she will make her decision after elections in November.
Lawler’s announcement brings clarity to both the governor’s race and the fight to control Congress.
