Rep. Elise Stefanik's nomination by President-elect Donald Trump for U.N. ambassador brings up the inevitable conversation about who will replace her. While the official process of selecting a replacement has not yet begun, speculation certainly has.

The seat has been a Republican stronghold since 2014, but was represented by former Democratic Rep. Bill Owens for several years. The process will begin once Stefanik resigns and Gov. Kathy Hochul calls a special election. State law gives parties latitude in the methods by which they select their nominee.

On the Republican side, one name in particular shot to the front of the conversation, and that is Schoharie area Assemblymember Chris Tague. Tague told Spectrum News 1 that he and his team are “seriously considering” a run as he praised Stefanik.

“To have your name brought up with the likes of Elise Stefanik, I think, is a big deal. I think if you look at my record in the state Assembly, or even as a town supervisor, I have been a champion for rural Upstate New York,” Tague said.

On the Democratic side, Paula Collins, who just lost to Stefanik in the general election by 80,000 votes, has already declared her intention to run in 2026. Asked if she would be interested in being the Democratic nominee in a special election, she told Spectrum News 1 Monday that she made party leaders aware that she was, but they told her they had not yet begun the nominating process.

She argued that consistency is key to building a coalition in a district where four different Democratic nominees have worked to unseat Stefanik since she first ran for reelection in 2016, and she can provide that.

“The voters need to start hearing my name over and over again in order to start building momentum, and for the Democrats to make headway,” she said.

While speculations swirled, Joe Burns, an election law attorney at Holtzman Vogel, explained that the process to formally select those nominees can’t formally begin until the governor kicks things off.

“The governor has to set the date of the special election within 70-80 days of that proclamation," he said.

Once the member officially resigns, the governor has 10 days to declare a special election and start the clock for that 70-80 day window to begin. At that point, parties must nominate their candidates. Burns stressed that process is unique in itself.

“When it’s a special election, you don’t have primaries, and so the way the law reads is the method of nomination is left up to each of the political parties,” he said.

Ed Cox, chairman of the state Republican Party, explained that the party’s nominee will come from a decision by the individual county committees that make up the district.

“The Republican nominee will be selected by the 15 or so county committees on a weighted basis,” he said.

For Democrats, similarly, county committees will come together to make the call. Leaders of both parties were mum about possible candidates, though Cox said he expects Stefanik to play a role.

State Democratic Committee chair Jay Jacobs told Spectrum News 1 in a statement that the process is in the early stages.

“We are currently in consultation with the county chairs in the 21st Congressional District, and are assessing all of our options moving forward,“ he said.

Other names being floated include Rep. Marc Molinaro, who still has yet to concede a tight race in the 19th Congressional District.

“Our race isn’t over,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “Elise Stefanik is a fighter, delivered big conservative results for the North Country, and will restore America’s credibility at the U.N. Her successor has big shoes to fill, and must be ready to help advance Trump’s agenda on day one.”

Among other Republican state lawmakers who have been mentioned are state Senator Dan Stec and Assemblymember Robert Smullen, who did not indicate in a statement whether or not he was interested in a run.

“I am so glad to see President Trump nominate my Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations,” he said. “She will be a tough leader on a difficult mission where the states needs real leadership. Thank you for thinking of me to fill her shoes in Congress, it is still quite early to say who will run to do so.”

As for other Democrats in the running, Assemblymember Billy Jones has been floated as one of the only prominent Democratic lawmakers in the area. He told Spectrum New 1 that it is too early in the process to make plans and he was focused on Veterans Day.