Blue-state Republican Aims To Evict Dems From 20-year Occupation Of Governor’s Mansion

Republican Rep. Mike Lawler's sentiment of Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York is crystal clear.

"I deliberation Kathy Hochul is nan astir feckless, incompetent politician successful America," Lawler said successful an question and reply pinch Fox News Digital.

Lawler, who's successful his 2nd word representing nan state's 17th Congressional District, which covers a ample swath of New York City's bluish suburbs, is mulling a 2026 GOP tally for governor.

"I'll make a determination astatine immoderate constituent – mediate of nan year. Obviously, you cognize if we're going to do it, you sewage to get retired there, and you sewage to run hard," Lawler said.  

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Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. (REUTERS/Anna Rose Layden/File)

He added, "I haven't made a determination yet. I think, obviously, there's a number of factors successful play, but you know, we're moving done that correct now."

Lawler is 1 of 3 Republicans mulling a gubernatorial run. So are Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman and longtime Bethany municipality supervisor Carl Hyde Jr.

It's been 23 years since a Republican won a gubernatorial predetermination successful heavy bluish New York. You person to spell each nan measurement backmost to erstwhile Gov. George Pataki's 2nd re-election triumph successful 2002.

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But Hochul's support ratings and favorable ratings stay underwater, giving Republicans dream nan losing streak will travel to an extremity adjacent year. The politician besides faces potential, longshot, superior challenges from her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, arsenic good arsenic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York City.

"There's a logic New York leads nan federation successful out-migration. It has thing to do pinch nan upwind and everything to do pinch nan precocious costs of surviving and nan declining value of life from nan migrant situation to nan crime pandemic successful New York to nan wide costs of living," Lawler said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite/File)

And nan erstwhile governmental strategist and adviser-turned-politician said "people can't spend to unrecorded successful New York. They want equilibrium and communal sense, and I deliberation that's wherever location is an opportunity, if you articulate nan imagination to New Yorkers. They're pragmatic, they're commonsense, and they understand nan request for change."

Democrats disagree.

"Whether it’s moving to little costs for families aliases protecting basal rights, Governor Hochul is simply a combatant for each New Yorkers pinch a grounds of getting results," Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe told Fox News.

And Donohoe based on that "while Governor Hochul is laser focused connected delivering connected nan priorities that matter to her state, New York Republicans each time are supporting Donald Trump’s schedule that is hurting nan Empire State. By spending their clip currying favour pinch Trump, Republicans are mounting themselves up for a messy and chaotic superior that will time off whoever emerges arsenic nan nominee severely damaged."

In 2022, then-Rep. Lee Zeldin had nan champion capacity by a GOP gubernatorial campaigner successful New York since Pataki's 2002 victory. Zeldin, who now steers nan Environmental Protection Agency successful President Donald Trump's 2nd administration, mislaid to Hochul by little than six and a half points.

And Trump mislaid nan authorities to then-Vice President Kamala Harris by 13 points successful past November's statesmanlike election, but that was a 10-point betterment from his nonaccomplishment separator to Joe Biden successful nan 2020 election.

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While Republicans person been much competitory statewide successful New York nan past 2 cycles, Lawler said adjacent year's elections will "be wished by a fewer things."

"No. 1, does nan system return off?" he said. "And pinch nan taxation bill, pinch power accumulation increases, you know, if nan system takes off, past I deliberation group are going to beryllium very consenting and unfastened to alteration successful New York."

"Obviously, what we're doing astatine nan separator matters," Lawler said. "New York has borne nan brunt of immoderate of nan disastrous decisions of nan Biden management and Kathy Hochul, spending billions of dollars of payer money connected free housing, clothing, food, acquisition and wellness attraction for illegals."

Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York is interviewed by Fox News Digital connected April 7, 2025, successful Washington. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)

And Lawler pointed to his push to raise nan headdress connected nan authorities and section taxation deduction, known by its acronym SALT, which is simply a pressing rumor for galore New Yorkers.

"Do I present connected things for illustration SALT and lifting nan headdress connected SALT? And so, if we get these things done, and you know, things are looking up, I deliberation New Yorkers tin beryllium very unfastened to a change," he said.

Lawler grabbed attraction successful 2022 by narrowly defeating incumbent Sean Patrick Maloney, nan then-chair of nan Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

But he's presently 1 of only 3 House Republicans who correspond districts carried by Harris successful November.

Asked if he needs to support his region from nan president if he seeks statewide agency successful New York, Lawler told Fox News, "Look, he's nan president of nan United States, and [I] surely would invited his support."

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President Donald Trump (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File)

But he besides said "New Yorkers will make a determination, though, based connected nan prime earlier them" alternatively than connected Trump.

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"If you coming a viable replacement imagination to New Yorkers and explicate really you're going to woody pinch housing, really you're going to woody pinch infrastructure, really you're going to woody pinch crime, really you're going to woody pinch nan truth that Wall Street is leaving New York successful droves, these are important issues that we person to tackle," Lawler said. "And it requires leadership. It requires a plan. And I deliberation if that is presented to New Yorkers, they'll make a determination based connected that."