Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is reportedly considering running for New York governor next year, Axios reported on Wednesday.
The possibility comes after President Donald Trump pulled her nomination to be the next ambassador to the UN at the last minute over fears regarding the GOP's slim majority in the Lower House.
Stefanik defended Trump after her withdrawal, saying she was "proud to be a team player." However, subsequent reports described her as feeling "blindsided."
Axios also reported that Stefanik was "crushed and scrambled to reverse Trump's decision before he announced it on Truth Social," but the president refused to take any chances as Republicans currently hold a 218-213 majority in the House of Representatives, the smallest margin since 1931.
Stefanik's situation also caused headaches for House Republicans, as her role in the leadership was already filled. House Speaker Mike Johnson has reportedly been struggling to find a way to put her back on the Intelligence Committee.
Stefanik may have hinted at a potential run in her announcement, saying it was as a result of a "combination of the New York corruption that we're seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin."
Should Stefanik effectively decide to run, she could face a primary against Rep. Mike Lawler, who has long been teasing a run for office.
On the Democrats' side, those who have shown intention to run for office are incumbent Kathy Hochul, Rep. Ritchie Torres and Vice Governor Antonio Delgado. A recent poll by Data for Progress showed Hochul with a large lead, getting just over half of the support (51%) from prospective voters. Torres got 11%, the same amount as Delgado, while 26% said they were not sure who they would support.
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