Who should the NYGOP nominate for governor in 2026?

[Suburbia]

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) has won her full first term, starting January 1, 2023 to end on December 31, 2026. Her lieutenant governor will be Antonio Delgado.

Lee Zeldin lost to her by 5 points, impressive for him and the NYGOP, especially for Zeldin as a pro-life Northeasterner.

Can Republicans win NY in 2026? Who should they run? Zeldin 2.0? Mike Balboni? Anthony D'Esposito? Elise Stefanik? Nicole Malliotakis?

Can a Pataki-type Republican get more than 30% of the NYC vote needed to win as Pataki did in 1994, 1998 and 2002?

https://nypost.com/2022/11/07/lee-zeldin-aggressively-targeting-nyc-voters-to-defeat-kathy-hochul-in-tight-gov-race/

[Vosem]

My guess is that it doesn't matter at all in a Republican midterm. In another Democratic midterm, Zeldin is a proven candidate whose weaknesses seem like they'll matter less the further we get from Trump and Dobbs; otherwise one of the more surprising winners from this year, particularly D'Esposito, seems like they would be a good call.

Hochul also does have time to recover over four years, though she'll probably still be a weak campaigner in 2026 and it distinctly seems like every time she runs for something she does so less and less competently.

[NewYorkExpress]

D'Esposito would be a great candidate, either for Governor in 2026, or for either Gillibrand or Schumer's Senate seats.

Other than that, I'd suggest Else Stefanik (if Biden or another Democrat is President) or possibly someone like Joann Ariola (if a Republican is President).

[Oryxslayer]

Too far out to know,  but I think one of the house candidates who just won, but are probably doomed come 2024 and presidential turnout,  have the most personal upside. Governor candidates improving or losing ground compared to the last cycle is only partially connected to national mood, so I think dems screwing up in some fashion will be key.

[President Johnson]

Move to New York and then they should nominate bronz. You get like 100% of the police vote with massive swings in Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

[Suburbia]

Move to New York and then they should nominate bronz. You get like 100% of the police vote with massive swings in Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Haha, I don't live in NY anymore. I am an NJ resident through and through, but I have family that still lives in NY.

D'Esposito has some lawsuits and civilian police complaints from when he was an NYPD Detective...so, if this comes out, he would not win the governorship.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-election-2022-long-island-house-candidate-anthony-desposito-nypd-lawsuits-20221101-mwhgg4qoxvasdmdexmzf5qah2q-story.html

[Horus]

Nicole Malliotakis? Inna Vernikov?

[Suburbia]

Nicole Malliotakis? Inna Vernikov?

Vernikov is not well known....she should probably try running for NYC mayor in 2025......

What about Mike Balboni or Thomas McKevitt?

It has to be someone pro-choice. A pro-life candidate (Faso, Zeldin) can't win because Democrats will highlight that.

George Pataki was pro-choice.

[Sir Mohamed]

Zeldin would actually have a case to run again after getting 47% in NYS during a neutral national environment.

That said, in order to win, the NY GOP possibly needs a more moderate, well spoken candidate. Not sure one exists who can also win a primary. That's their biggest issue in blue and blue-leaning states. You need less radical candidates that increasingly struggle to win GOP primaries.

[smoltchanov]

Zeldin would actually have a case to run again after getting 47% in NYS during a neutral national environment.

That said, in order to win, the NY GOP possibly needs a more moderate, well spoken candidate. Not sure one exists who can also win a primary. That's their biggest issue in blue and blue-leaning states. You need less radical candidates that increasingly struggle to win GOP primaries.

Democrats have essentially the same (in mirror variant, of course) problem in red and red-leaning states BTW...

[Lambsbread]

Andrew Cuomo

[Duke of York]

My guess is that it doesn't matter at all in a Republican midterm. In another Democratic midterm, Zeldin is a proven candidate whose weaknesses seem like they'll matter less the further we get from Trump and Dobbs; otherwise one of the more surprising winners from this year, particularly D'Esposito, seems like they would be a good call.

Hochul also does have time to recover over four years, though she'll probably still be a weak campaigner in 2026 and it distinctly seems like every time she runs for something she does so less and less competently.

She very well can recover. I would not write her off. Lets not forget she wasn't very well known. She now has four years as an incumbent.