Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is running for governor of New York. Stefanik represents a sprawling congressional district in northern New York. She launched her campaign Friday. She had stoked speculation for a future run for governor, ramping up her criticism of Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in recent months. Any Republican faces long odds of winning the governor’s mansion in New York, but Stefanik’s campaign will bring strong name recognition, fundraising prowess and ties to President Donald Trump. Last year, Trump picked Stefanik to be the administration’s ambassador to the United Nations but later rescinded the nomination over concerns about Republicans’ tight margins in the House.