New York Republicans are demanding a change at the top after their midterm losses, with state party Chairman Ed Cox facing calls to resign and outgoing Rep. Mike Lawler emerging as a possible replacement. The pressure includes a public demand for Cox’s firing from one of the party’s election winners. Cox has refused to step aside, while Lawler’s supporters are discussing whether the congressman could take over after leaving Washington.
The fight follows Tuesday’s election, when Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul defeated Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman by roughly 20 percentage points. Lawler also lost his reelection bid in the Hudson Valley’s 17th Congressional District to Democrat Cait Conley. His congressional term ends in January, potentially making him available for a different role in New York Republican politics.
Cox, 80, chaired the state party from 2009 to 2019 before returning to the position in 2023. Republicans have struggled for years to win statewide office, with Democrats holding the governorship and offices including attorney general and comptroller. The latest defeats have brought complaints about the party’s leadership into public view, alongside discussions among insiders about possible successors.
The New York Post reported that Republican insiders were discussing Cox’s removal in the days following the election. “I think a lot of people really want Ed Cox’s head,” one insider told the newspaper Thursday. Another said, “People have been complaining about Ed Cox for a while now.” That source added, “There’s already movement behind the scenes with the conservatives to get rid of him.”
Anthony Constantino, who won the race for New York’s 21st Congressional District, demanded action just hours after his victory. “I am with the people and insist we rebuild the Party. Fire Ed Cox!” he wrote in a 3 a.m. Wednesday post on X. He called the state Republican establishment “a group of scammers” and added, “In NYS, the Republican Party is mostly a Con Job that helps Democrats win.”
Outgoing Rep. Elise Stefanik also called for an overhaul Wednesday, saying the state party “needs to be built from scratch” and requires “significant change in structure and leadership.” She said Lawler “would be absolutely fantastic” as chairman, although she was unsure whether he wanted the position. His supporters pointed to his experience representing a competitive congressional district since 2023 and his previous work as the state party’s executive director.
Cox rejected the suggestion that he should resign. “No. I’m not stepping down,” he said when asked about the effort to remove him. “We have a lot of work to do. We got a lot of talent in the party.” Republican businessman John Catsimatidis defended Cox’s fundraising record while suggesting that additional help with party operations might be warranted.
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“It’s nonsense to panic. We have to bring everybody together,” Catsimatidis said. “Everybody is looking for a scapegoat. Ed Cox is the biggest fundraiser the New York Republican Party has ever had.” He continued, “Does he need some other people to help in operations? Maybe so.”
Watch Cox discuss Republican identity here:
One insider argued that Lawler could quickly attract support if he pursued the chairmanship. “If Mike declared tomorrow and called on Ed to resign, I think he would have the support of 50% of the chairs, easily,” the source said. Erie County GOP Chairman Michael Kracker and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who retained her Staten Island seat, were also mentioned as possible replacements.
Sources close to Lawler said he was spending time with his family after the election and was unlikely to make an immediate move. They also described his relationship with Cox as good, dating to his work for the state party. Kracker declined to demand Cox’s resignation, saying, “I for one am not going to be somebody who’s in favor of an open war between different factions.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.