Lawler to ask for a re -election, stimulating the hopes of the GOP to keep the majority

First on Fox: The Republican representative Mike Lawler of New York will ask for a re-election halfway up next year in his crucial House House district, which covers much of the northern suburbs of New York.

Lawler, who announced his news in an interview on Wednesday morning on “Fox and Friends” of Fox News, had seriously reflected an offer for New York State Governor.

“There is no doubt that Kathy Hochul is the worst governor of America,” Lawler told Brian Kilmeade of Fox News, before adding: “In 2026, she must be defeated. But after months of deliberation on this subject and really work through it, I decided to do good things to do for me and my family and my district is to run for the re -election.”

His news is considered to be a major relief for the White House and the Republicans of the Congress, who defend their majority at the time of a thin house as a mid-term razor of 2026.

The Top House Republicans as well as President Donald Trump had urged Lawler to ask for a re -election, and Fox News confirmed that Lawler had met Trump last week at the White House to discuss his 2026 plans and other questions.

Why Mike Lawler told a Democrat in the House of “F — off”

Republic Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, at a press conference at the American Capitol in Washington, DC, Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (Tierney L. Cross)

“Although I fundamentally believe that I am best placed to face Kathy Hochul and offer New Yorkers a real choice for the Governor, I made the decision to present himself to the re -election of the house and to continue the important work that I did in the last two and a half years,” said Lawler in a statement with Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning.

Lawler, which represents the 17th district of the New York Congress, is currently one of the only three Republicans in the Chamber which represent seats carried by the president of the time, Kamala Harris, during the presidential election of last year.

The Democrats target his district mid-term as they aim to take over the majority of the room. Their work by returning the headquarters would have been facilitated if Lawler had decided to go to the post of governor.

Trump Ally Stefanik Signals takes place for New York Governor

If he had presented himself to the post of governor, Lawler would probably have faced the appointment of the GOP against the representative Elise Stefanik, who represents a district in northern New York. Stefanik, who is one of Trump House’s best allies, is preparing for his own campaign against Hochul, whom the Republicans consider vulnerable.

Stefanik published a statement on Wednesday morning when the news broke out, calling the Republicans “more unified than ever in our mission to dismiss the worst governor of America Kathy Hochul in 2026” and Lawler a “great efficient and worker for the 17th district of the New York Congress”.

“As I said before, I focus on supporting local Republican candidates and councils in November to lay the foundations with a solid team for next year. I make a final decision and an announcement after the November elections of this year on which we are focusing,” added Stefanik.

The GOP representative, Elise Stefanik of New York, speaks with republican activists during a fundraising dinner of Staten Island Gop on June 2, 2025 in New York. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

Trump, in May, approved the re -election of the Lawler Congress, in a decision considered as a probable indicator of the president’s support for a governor managed by Stefanik, who represents a district of the house in Red Sens.

Lawler, a unique republican political strategist, won the elections in 2020 in the New York State assembly by beating a democratic holder.

He drew national attention during the mid-term elections of 2022 by just beating the outgoing representative Sean Patrick Maloney, who at the time was president of the campaign committee of the Democratic Congress.

New York governor Kathy Hochul is talking at a press conference in Manhattan in New York on February 20, 2025. (Reuters / Brendan McDermid)

The Democrats, who both aim for his district and defend their governor in New York, quickly criticized Lawler’s decision on Wednesday morning.

“Mike Lawler Caving in Donald Trump even before his campaign begins to prove that he is too weak to face Governor Hochul – and he knows it,” said New York State Democratic Party Jay Jacobs

And spokesperson for Democratic Governors Association (DGA), Kevin Donohoe, Trolled Lawler Wednesday morning, “Donald Trump officially killed Mike Lawler’s dream to become a new York governor and received the appointment of the GOP Governor to his best DC Elise Stefanik ally. Our condolences.”

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Hochul herself struck, Writing on X, “It was the same Mike Lawler who gave in to Trump as soon as he asked to tear the health care of New Yorkers. Of course, he does not have the spine to face me”, in reference to the Medicaid reform included in “Big and Beau Bill” by Trump.