Elise Stefanik enters 2026 NY governor race, could challenge NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani using rare removal powers. Photos: X.
US Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican and close ally of President Donald Trump, officially entered the 2026 New York governor’s race on Friday. Her announcement has renewed attention on a rarely exercised gubernatorial power that, under specific conditions, could allow her to remove newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat.
On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race with 50.4 percent of the vote. His campaign had been publicly endorsed by Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. Since the election, Stefanik has sharply criticized both Hochul and Mamdani, calling Hochul the “worst governor in America” and referring to Mamdani as an “Antisemite Jihadist Communist.”
Stefanik formally declared her gubernatorial run on Friday, intensifying political confrontation between the two parties.
If Stefanik were to defeat Hochul in 2026, she would assume the governor’s constitutional authority to remove local officials, including the mayor of New York City. This power is outlined in both the New York State Constitution and the New York City Charter.
According to the charter, “The mayor may be removed from office by the governor upon charges and after service upon him of a copy of the charges and an opportunity to be heard in his defense… Pending the preparation and disposition of charges, the governor may suspend the mayor for a period not exceeding thirty days.”
This authority permits broad executive discretion but requires a structured legal proceeding. Charges must be formally filed, the official must be notified, and they must be given the opportunity to present a defense, including questioning witnesses under oath.
Historical interpretation limits removal to cases involving “official misconduct or violation of public trust, or one that involves moral turpitude,” committed during the current term. This standard was affirmed in a 1932 case involving then-Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt. Courts cannot overturn a governor’s removal decision, according to reporting by POLITICO earlier this year.
The power has been invoked extremely rarely. The last known removal of a New York City official occurred in 1932, when Roosevelt removed Manhattan Sheriff Thomas Farley. Since then, the authority has functioned more as a political deterrent than an active governance tool. If a mayor were removed, the city could be required to hold a special election within 90 days, depending on the timing and charter provisions.
Stefanik, announcing her campaign on X, “Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America. Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation… I am running for Governor to make New York affordable and safe FOR ALL… It’s time to: FIRE HOCHUL. SAVE NEW YORK.”
Mamdani, in his election night speech, said, “Together, we will usher in a generation of change… If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him… And so, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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