New York Governor Race Gets Hotter as Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman Announces Bid
A possible showdown is brewing in the Republican ranks of New York, with former U.S. President Donald Trump's ally, Bruce Blakeman, expected to launch a gubernatorial campaign this week. The move has set up a likely primary battle against Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has been positioning herself as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.
Blakeman, a Nassau County executive and staunch Republican, had been quietly building his profile across the state by touring key areas, including Albany, New York City, and Plattsburgh. He's been touting himself as the best candidate to win over suburban voters in a deep-blue state like New York.
"I believe I have a base and a springboard for becoming a governor that's much stronger than anybody else," Blakeman stated recently, citing Republican gains in Long Island suburbs.
The news has sent shockwaves through the party leadership, with Party Chair Ed Cox warning against a contested primary. However, it appears Blakeman is determined to challenge Stefanik directly, disregarding the party's efforts to avoid an intra-party struggle.
Stefanik, a North Country congresswoman and a longtime Trump ally, launched her own campaign in November with backing from former Governor George Pataki and most of New York's Republican leadership. The GOP last won a statewide race in 2002, but a strong showing by Rep. Lee Zeldin on Long Island has revitalized hopes of a potential comeback.
As the primary battle heats up, incumbent Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul already faces an intra-party challenge from her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado. The 2026 primary is scheduled for June 23.
A possible showdown is brewing in the Republican ranks of New York, with former U.S. President Donald Trump's ally, Bruce Blakeman, expected to launch a gubernatorial campaign this week. The move has set up a likely primary battle against Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has been positioning herself as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.
Blakeman, a Nassau County executive and staunch Republican, had been quietly building his profile across the state by touring key areas, including Albany, New York City, and Plattsburgh. He's been touting himself as the best candidate to win over suburban voters in a deep-blue state like New York.
"I believe I have a base and a springboard for becoming a governor that's much stronger than anybody else," Blakeman stated recently, citing Republican gains in Long Island suburbs.
The news has sent shockwaves through the party leadership, with Party Chair Ed Cox warning against a contested primary. However, it appears Blakeman is determined to challenge Stefanik directly, disregarding the party's efforts to avoid an intra-party struggle.
Stefanik, a North Country congresswoman and a longtime Trump ally, launched her own campaign in November with backing from former Governor George Pataki and most of New York's Republican leadership. The GOP last won a statewide race in 2002, but a strong showing by Rep. Lee Zeldin on Long Island has revitalized hopes of a potential comeback.
As the primary battle heats up, incumbent Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul already faces an intra-party challenge from her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado. The 2026 primary is scheduled for June 23.
. I mean, he's basically saying "Hey, I'll take on Stefanik in the primary, and whoever wins gets to face Hochul". Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket 
. It's also concerning that Cox is warning against a contested primary - does that even work in NY politics? The party's supposed to be unified behind one candidate, but it seems like everyone wants a piece of the action 
. And let's not forget Stefanik has been positioning herself as the frontrunner for ages... maybe Blakeman should've just waited his turn 
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️ He thinks he's got the magic formula but let's be real, it's gonna take more than just being a Republican to get by in this state 
Those Long Island suburbs have been leaning blue for years, and Blakeman's gonna need some serious mojo to turn that around 
I'm not surprised Ed Cox is worried about a primary battle though - it's always ugly when the party can't agree on who should be the face of the GOP 
. Mark my words, there's gonna be some dirty tricks played in this primary, and we'll see who really has the party's back. 
. And let's be real, it's been ages since there was a real Republican contender for governor in NY 
. Stefanik's gonna have to bring her A-game if she wants to take him down. This is shapin' up to be a wild primary battle 
. On the other hand, Stefanik has been quietly building her own grassroots support and has a strong connection with Trump's base, so don't count her out just yet 
. It'll be interesting to see how this primary battle plays out, especially if Cox can keep it from getting too ugly 
. The real question is whether Blakeman's message resonates with enough voters outside of Long Island to make a difference in the general election 
. I mean, the guy's been quietly building his profile and now he's just gonna throw his hat in the ring? That's some bold moves right there! 
But, at the same time, I can see why he thinks he's got a shot – those Long Island suburbs are getting increasingly red 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out, especially with Stefanik already positioning herself as the frontrunner 
. And what about Hochul and Delgado? The drama is just starting to heat up 
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Bruce Blakeman thinking of running against Elise Stefanik? 
That's gonna be a wild ride 
. This governor race in NY is heating up fast 
, can't wait to see how it all plays out! 
. Blakeman is tryna position himself as the "suburban candidate" and I'm here for it! 
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. It's gonna get interesting in the GOP camp, and only time will tell who'll come out on top 
! Did you know that Nassau County is like, super crucial to winning the state? 
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Blakeman's got $10M in his campaign war chest
"When you're in a hole, stop digging." - Anonymous (but this quote fits Blakeman's move into the primary) 
So Bruce Blakeman just throws his hat into the ring and now it's gonna be a total mess... I mean, I get it, he thinks he's got a good shot at taking down Hochul but come on, Stefanik is already all set up to go against him. It's like they're both trying to run through the same gate and who knows what's gonna happen when that happens? 
I'm genuinely worried now about the state of NY politics... we might actually see some actual change in 2026 which is super scary for everyone 
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. Still, I'm not sure if he's got the chops to go toe-to-toe with Hochul... we'll see about that 
. Bring it on, I guess!
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. Mark my words, this is gonna be a wild ride in the world of New York politics