After meeting with Trump, Republican in key House battleground announces major decision on 'Fox and Friends'
Lawler, who announced his news in an interview Wednesday morning on Fox News' "Fox and Friends," had been seriously mulling a bid for New York State governor.
"There's no question Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America," Lawler told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade, before adding, "In 2026, she needs to be defeated. But after months of deliberating over this and really working through it, I've decided the right thing to do for me and my family and my district is to run for re-election."
His news is seen as a major relief to the White House and congressional Republicans, who are defending their razor-thin House majority in the 2026 midterms.
Top House Republicans as well as President Donald Trump had urged Lawler to seek re-election, and Fox News confirmed that Lawler met with Trump last week at the White House to discuss his 2026 plans and other issues.
"While I fundamentally believe I am best positioned to take on Kathy Hochul and offer New Yorkers a real choice for Governor, I have made the decision to run for re-election to the House and continue the important work I've been doing over the past two and a half years," Lawler shared in a statement with Fox News Digital Wednesday morning.
Lawler, who represents New York's 17th Congressional District, is currently one of only three House Republicans who represent seats carried by then-Vice President Kamala Harris in last year's presidential election.
Democrats are targeting his district in the midterms as they aim to retake the House majority. Their job in flipping the seat would have been made easier if Lawler had decided to run for governor.
If he had run for governor, Lawler would likely have faced off for the GOP nomination against Rep. Elise Stefanik, who represents a district in northern New York. Stefanik, who is a top House Trump ally, is gearing up for her own campaign against Hochul, who Republicans consider vulnerable.
Stefanik released a statement Wednesday morning as the news broke, calling Republicans "more unified than ever in our mission to fire the Worst Governor in America Kathy Hochul in 2026" and Lawler a "great, effective, and hardworking Representative for New York's 17th Congressional District."
"As I have previously stated, I am focused on supporting strong Republican local and county candidates on the ballot this November to lay the groundwork with a strong team for next year. I will make a final decision and announcement after this year's November election which we are all focused on," Stefanik added.
Trump in May endorsed Lawler's congressional re-election, in a move seen as a likely indicator of the president's support for a gubernatorial run by Stefanik, who represents a red-leaning House district.
Lawler, a one-time Republican political strategist, won election in 2020 to the New York State Assembly by defeating a Democratic incumbent.
He grabbed national attention in the 2022 midterm elections by narrowly defeating incumbent Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who at the time was chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Lawler, who represents New York's 17th Congressional District, is currently one of only three House Republicans who represent seats carried by then-Vice President Kamala Harris in last year's presidential election.
Democrats are targeting his district in the midterms as they aim to retake the House majority. Democrats were quick to criticize Lawler's decision Wednesday morning.
"Mike Lawler caving to Donald Trump before his campaign even starts proves he's too weak to take on Governor Hochul – and he knows it," New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs said in a statement, arguing New York voters will reject Lawler "no matter where his name shows up on the ballot."
And Democratic Governors Association (DGA) spokesperson, Kevin Donohoe, trolled Lawler on Wednesday morning, "Donald Trump has officially killed Mike Lawler's dream of becoming governor of New York and given the GOP gubernatorial nomination to his top D.C. ally Elise Stefanik. Our condolences."
Hochul herself chimed in, writing on X, "This is the same Mike Lawler who caved to Trump the minute he asked to rip away New Yorkers' healthcare. Of course he doesn't have the spine to face me," in reference to Medicaid reform included in Trump's "big, beautiful bill."
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