Stefanik comes out blazing against Hochul over New York's unaffordability crisis

After launching her campaign for governor of New York, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has come out swinging against incumbent Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul on the issue of affordability. This comes after there have been multiple polls showing the Republican statistically tied with or within striking distance of Hochul for a general election.

Stefanik announced her bid for governor last week after Election Day, following months of anticipation of her potential run. As a close ally of President Donald Trump, as well as a prominent Republican in the House, she has served in the Empire State's 21st congressional district since 2015, which covers much of upstate New York north of the capital region.

In one of her first campaign ads released after launching her campaign, the politician attacked Hochul over her low favorability rating as well as the cost of living that has been an issue in New York for years. "Kathy Hochul has earned the title of Worst Governor in America because she has made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation. These are your words Kathy: 'This bullsh*t has to stop.' And it will when Republicans, Democrats, and Independents unify next November to fire Kathy Hochul and save New York with common-sense policies that make our state affordable and safe,” Stefanik said in a caption with the video.

In the ad, and over the past week, Stefanik has tied Hochul to socialist NYC-Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani, who has vowed to freeze rents in New York City, has previously called to "defund the police," and has plans to raise the minimum wage to $30 an hour in the Big Apple. As Mamdani has won the election, NYPD officers are already leaving their roles in reaction to his win.

"Kathy Hochul has a record and has led single-party, Democrat rule, making it the most unaffordable state in the nation. We have the highest taxes, the highest energy prices, the highest utility prices, highest grocery prices and rent that continues to skyrocket," the congresswoman said in the campaign ad.

Mamdani, although he has pointed to affordability issues in New York as well, has become a figure of New York politics that Hochul was not able to ignore. The incumbent governor endorsed the socialist earlier this year, but he has yet to return the favor.

Critics have said that the move from Hochul made the New York governor look weak, as though Mamdani had the upper hand. Following her endorsement, but without the endorsement of Mamdani, Hochul even attended a rally for the socialist just days ahead of the election, where the crowd cheered “tax the rich” while some booed the incumbent governor.

These chants, which Hochul later claimed to sound like “Let’s go Bills,” have also been a point that Stefanik has hit Hochul on, and was slammed in the ad.

The race is set up to be one of the most-watched gubernatorial races in America in the next round of elections. In the 2022 midterm elections, GOP candidate Lee Zeldin came a little too close for comfort against Hochul, with the final vote tally being around 53 to 47 points. In the deep blue state of New York, that margin of victory for Democrats was much wider in races going back to 2006, perhaps signaling a shift that Stefanik could take advantage of.