The next gubernatorial election is more than a year away, but two high-profile New York Republicans have already started to explore whether or not to run right now.

"Over the course of the last several days and weeks, I've been receiving calls and texts and emails from New Yorkers who have been strongly encouraging me, asking me to run for governor," Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-NY-1, said.

Zeldin announced his interest this week and said he will begin actively reaching out to party members.

"I feel like I know that Andrew Cuomo being in his third term has been there too long, and he needs to go," he said. "Now is the time to see if the rest of New York agrees with that, and on the policy front what is motivating people."

On Wednesday, Rep. Tom Reed, R-NY-23, welcomed Zeldin to the fray. Reed, a week and half ago, said he was "seriously considering" a run.

"One of the things that we are also doing by considering this race for governor is to make sure that we flesh out candidates that are also considering such race, so I appreciate Lee also considering it," he said.

Reed said the party will ultimately sort out who the candidate is, but he plans to talk both with party leadership and everyday people and make an official decision "sooner rather than later." The Southern Tier Republican believes his candidacy has some genuine momentum.

"When you have people like ("Meet the Press" host) Chuck Todd at the national political level indicating on national TV that our candidacy is the one that probably scares Andrew Cuomo the most because of our electability across the aisle, as demonstrated by our history and way of governing, I think that speaks volumes," he said.

Both congressmen believe at the moment they would be challenging incumbent Democrat Andrew Cuomo. Despite investigations regarding both alleged sexual harassment and Cuomo's handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, Cuomo says he intends to continue to serve.

"As I see it right now, the only way Andrew Cuomo is not the candidate is if he's impeached, because I just do not see him stepping aside," Reed said.

He would potentially be the first governor from Upstate New York in roughly a century. Zeldin, while from Long Island, believes he would also help better represent Upstate.

"We need not only political balance in Albany. We also need a geographic balance. Give a voice not just to the people who live in New York City. They deserve a voice," Zeldin said. "Every New Yorker deserves to feel like they're being represented, and they deserve to feel like the state’s on the right direction."