Republican Rep Elise Stefanik to announce run for New York governor

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NEW YORK (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is expected to announce a run for New York governor Friday, according to two people familiar with her plans.

The two people spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose her plans ahead of the official announcement.

Stefanik, a fierce ally of President Donald Trump, represents a conservative district in upstate New York, and has been considering a run for months.

In recent weeks she has ramped up her criticism of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, often referring to the Democrat as the “worst governor in America.” Stefanik has also attacked Hochul over her endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City.

Trump had picked Stefanik to be his ambassador to the United Nations last year but later rescinded the nomination over concerns about the Republican Party's narrow majority in the House.

Hochul, a moderate, is facing a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.

A spokesperson for Hochul's campaign referred AP to a statement from the Democratic Governors Association, which said: “Elise Stefanik has spent her career selling out New Yorkers to Donald Trump — and that is exactly why she is going to lose to Kathy Hochul next November."

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Kim reported from Washington.