Bruce Blakeman announces run for New York governor, to challenge Elise Stefanik in Republican primary
Republican Bruce Blakeman is officially entering the race for New York governor. The Nassau County executive formally launched his 2026 campaign with a video message early Tuesday morning.
"I want to replicate what we did in Nassau County. We made Nassau County the safest county in America. The poverty rate is the lowest in all of New York state," Blakeman added in a morning interview on Fox 5. "I haven't raised taxes a penny in four years."
The announcement comes fresh off Blakeman's commanding reelection victory last month on Long Island, winning a Democratic county by 12% at a time when other Republicans, including New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, went down in defeat.
"I got almost a third of the African-American vote when most Republicans only get like 9%. I got 56% of the Hispanic-American votes. I got independent women. I've got independent men, crossover Democrats. We won by 36,000 votes in a county with 110,000 more Democrats," Blakeman said.
His entry into the race sets up a primary challenge against upstate Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a rising figure in the Republican party and major supporter of President Trump.
Whoever earns the GOP nomination would take on the winner of the Democratic primary between incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is seeking reelection to a second full term, and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado.
The primary is set for June 23, 2026, followed by the general election on Nov. 3, 2026.
Stefanik, Hochul react to Blakeman joining N.Y. governor race
Republicans, who see Hochul as vulnerable, were hoping to avoid a primary, which is expensive and can take focus away from the governor's record.
"A primary would be very destructive in that process in this very Democratic state," state party Chairman Ed Cox said.
Stefanik's spokesperson slammed Blakeman for getting into the race, saying, "Bruce Blakeman is an early Christmas present to Kathy Hochul as he works to blow Republicans' best chance to win."
A spokesperson for team Hochul did the same, saying, "Bootlicker Bruce Blakeman has lost just about every race he's touched -- county legislator, comptroller, Congress, even U.S. Senate. There's a reason: just like Donald Trump, he takes money out of New Yorkers' pockets and squeezes working families at every turn."
Sarafina Chitika, Hochul's campaign communications director, added, "We're not about to let him turn the governor's mansion into Mar-A-Lago north."
Blakeman said he is undaunted that Cox and others are in the Stefanik camp.
"He doesn't speak for all Republicans in New York State. He's the state chairman," Blakeman said. "First of all, I have a much stronger organization than the state organization in Nassau County. We raised about $7 million last year for our candidates. I think New York State GOP raised about $300,000."
Law professor J.C. Polanco said Stefanik is a rockstar in the party, and Blakeman will have his work cut out for him in the primary.
"He's a very eloquent New York Republican kind of guy. Can he survive a primary against a MAGA juggernaut? Only time will tell," Polanco said, adding, "He's gonna walk on eggshells a lot because he's gonna need a lot of those Republicans outside of New York City to support him. And if he attacks the congresswoman, well, I don't know how that's gonna bode for County Executive Blakeman in a November election."
Trump says Blakeman and Stefanik are "both great people"
Blakeman and Stefanik will also have to court the president, who, so far, has refused to put his thumb on the scale, but had positive things to say about both.
"We'll think about it, but he's great and she's great. They're both great people. We have a lot of great people with the Republican party," Mr. Trump said Monday, when asked if he would be giving an endorsement in the race.
Experts say the president could decide to play another role by urging one of the candidates to back out in order to give the party a better chance against Hochul.
Blakeman has gained a national profile for his conservative stance, which has energized his GOP base. Issues that helped propel him to victory in November were his stances on, among others, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, transgender athlete bans and opioid settlement money.
New York has not elected a Republican governor since George Pataki won a third term in 2002.