New York Rep. Elise Stefanik aims to challenge New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in next year's elections — and survive a tough midterm environment — by targeting New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani as much as her actual opponents.

Why it matters: Stefanik's gambit pulls back the curtain on a big part of Republicans' emerging 2026 strategy —whether President Trump's growing unpopularity by casting Democrats as socialists in Mamdani's mold.

Zoom out: Stefanik — who launched her campaign Friday — is aggressively trying to tie Hochul to Mamdani, and to cast herself as a check to the incoming mayor if she's elected next year. • Stefanik, a MAGA loyalist, has given a series of interviews in which she knocks Hochul for endorsing Mamdani — and released an online video showing the governor and m

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