Republican US Rep Elise Stefanik is running for governor of New York, her campaign announced Friday. In a video shared on social media, Stefanik called Democratic Gov Kathy Hochul “the worst governor in America” and called New York “the most unaffordable state in the nation.” Stefanik, who represents a solid red congressional district in upstate New York, has for months teased a run for governor, levelling heavy criticism at Hochul and more recently toward Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City.“I am running for governor to bring a new generation of leadership to Albany to make New York affordable and safe for families all across our great state," Stefanik said in a statement issued Friday. Last year, President Donald Trump picked Stefanik, a staunch ally, to be the administration's ambassador to the United Nations, but months later rescinded the nomination over concerns about Republicans' tight margins in the House.