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Battered NY GOP members turn ire on party boss — with ousted Rep. Mike Lawler floated as replacement
New York Republicans are calling for state party chairman Ed Cox to step down after Democrats’ sweeping Election Day wins, renewing complaints about his long leadership and the party’s weak statewide record. Some Republicans have floated outgoing Congressman Mike Lawler, who lost his re-election bid, as a possible successor.
Cox, 80, has chaired the party from 2009 to 2019 and again since 2023, during a period in which Republicans have not won a New York statewide office since 2006. Governor Kathy Hochul defeated Republican Bruce Blakeman by 20 percentage points, while Lawler lost his District 17 seat to Democrat Cait Conley; Cox says he will not resign, and businessman John Catsimatidis has urged Republicans to unite rather than panic.
In short
- New York Republicans are pressing Ed Cox to quit as party chairman.
- Mike Lawler is being discussed as a possible replacement.
- Cox says he is staying on despite calls for change.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Republicans urging Cox to step down can argue that the party’s persistent failure to win statewide office, followed by major recent losses, calls for new leadership and a credible change of direction. They may see Lawler, despite his own defeat, as a chance to bring in a different generation and rebuild the party’s appeal.
The case against
Cox’s defenders can argue that replacing a long-serving chairman immediately after losses risks turning disappointment into factional infighting without addressing the causes of defeat. They may favour keeping the party united and assessing its strategy carefully before choosing new leadership, while noting that Lawler’s loss does not by itself establish that he is best placed to succeed.