In his bid for governor, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has garnered an endorsement from President Donald Trump and is now the sole Republican seeking the top seat in the state.
“I am blessed and grateful to have the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump,” Blakeman said in a statement. “President Trump is driving down gasoline prices and slashing the cost of prescription drugs. Securing our borders has made America safer. President Trump loves New York and we will be partners in making New York safe and affordable.”
Trump praised Blakeman in a post on Truth Social, expressing his belief that Blakeman would win the race against Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning,” the president wrote. “As Nassau County Executive, he is working tirelessly with the Brave Heroes of ICE, Border Patrol, and Law Enforcement to Keep Our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Safeguard our Community, and Ensure LAW AND ORDER. As your next Governor, Bruce will continue to fight hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes, and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment!”
Blakeman was originally slated to run in a Republican primary against U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, but she announced on Friday that she would no longer be running for governor in what she described as a fruitless campaign. In suspending her campaign, Stefanik said she would also not be seeking re-election to Congress.
“However, as we have seen in past elections, while we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,” Stefanik wrote in a post on X.
Stefanik also cited a desire to devote more time to her family, specifically her young son.
Blakeman, a strong ally of Trump, entered the race a month after winning reelection with 55.6% of the vote, easily defeating Democrat County Legislator Seth Koslow. Blakeman campaigned on fiscal responsibility, support for local law enforcement, public safety, and what he casts as pro-taxpayer policies.
He launched his campaign with a video earlier in December where he highlighted his recent reelection for Nassau County Executive and repeatedly framed himself as a candidate who “delivered on promises of affordability and security.”
The video noted that while Democrats made gains nationwide on election night, “the Republican Party shined bright on Long Island,” citing Blakeman’s 12-point win in a county with more registered Democrats than Republicans.
The video also recapped several themes that Blakeman has emphasized throughout his tenure — stating that he kept Nassau from becoming a sanctuary county, opposed school mask mandates, and refused to raise county taxes.
Blakeman has served as county executive since beating then-Democratic incumbent Laura Curran in 2022. Prior to holding the county seat, he represented Oceanside and Valley Stream on the Nassau County Legislature, and served on the Hempstead Town Council and as a commissioner for the New York-New Jersey Port Authority.
Blakeman has run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and state comptroller.
