Personality
The many times Mike Lawler talked about being governor
Lawler stoked the rumor mill for over a year but ultimately decided not to run for governor.
Rep. Mike Lawler ultimately walked away from the governor’s race after teasing a possible run for more than a year. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
It’s official: Rep. Mike Lawler is not running for governor. He has decided to run for reelection instead, likely ensuring that Rep. Elise Stefanik will receive the GOP gubernatorial nomination next year. For a while, Lawler was seen as the most viable GOP challenger to Hochul, and he repeatedly teased the possibility of challenging her. But he was ultimately boxed out by Stefanik, who turned her attention back to New York after her nomination to be President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations fell through. In honor of Lawler ending his flirtation with the Executive Mansion, here are some of the times in which he teased a future run for governor.
May 22, 2024
“I wish I could’ve been with you in person and shared some laughs,” Lawler said at the end of a parody video that he made for the annual Legislative Correspondents Association show. “But we’ll have plenty of time for that when I’m governor in a couple of years.”
CBS interview after reelection
Nov. 6, 2024
“The only way to get balance in Albany is through the governor’s mansion, so we’ll see what the future holds,” Lawler told CBS News the day after winning reelection to Congress.
Nov. 15, 2024
Lawler suggested that either he or Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman would be the GOP nominee for governor in 2026. “I think it’s obviously important to make sure that we have a viable, strong candidate atop the ticket, whether it’s me or somebody else, including Bruce,” he told the conservative magazine. Stefanik, who had at that point been selected by Trump to serve as ambassador to the U.N., wasn’t seen as a gubernatorial contender.
Nov. 20, 2024
“As I’ve said, we’re going to look at the governor’s race,” Lawler told Bloomberg News. “I think it’s critically important that we restore balance and common sense to New York.”
Dec. 23, 2024
“No doubt (Hochul) is going to face a real challenge in 2026,” Lawler said in a video celebrating the fake holiday from “Seinfeld,” Festivus. “I wonder, who could beat her? Hmm? I might know a guy,” he added, winking to the camera.
Jan. 17, 2025
“It’s no secret that I’m looking at a run for Governor of New York State – Kathy Hochul is the most feckless, incompetent Governor in decades, and our state deserves better,” Lawler posted. He also linked to a clip of an interview he did with Fox Business, in which he was asked about running for governor and said, “We are looking at it strongly.”
April 22, 2025
“Yes, I am,” Lawler told Fox Business when asked whether he was considering a run for governor, even though Rep. Elise Stefanik had also expressed interest in the position. “Obviously, Elise and I agree that Kathy Hochul is a disaster,” he added.
June 3, 2025
Lawler wrote that Hochul would lose reelection in 2026 – but without mentioning which Republican candidate would oust her. “While Kathy Hochul is busy lying about her budget and what our One Big Beautiful Bill actually does, I’m proud of the fact that we delivered billions in tax cuts for middle and working-class families across New York,” he wrote on X. “We need that same approach in the Governor’s Mansion – and in 2026, we’ll get it.”