With Long Island’s own Bruce Blakeman now the GOP frontrunner for governor, the race for New York’s top spot is turning heads all the way to the White House.
Shortly after Rep. Elise Stefanik stepped aside, President Trump threw his weight behind the Nassau County Executive, posting a full-throated endorsement on his Truth Social page. The announcement quickly reshaped the Republican field, elevating Blakeman as the party’s clear standard-bearer.
In a lengthy post, Trump praised Blakeman, stating, “Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning.” He credited Blakeman for working “tirelessly with the Brave Heroes of ICE, Border Patrol, and Law Enforcement” and said that as governor, Blakeman would fight to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, promote American energy dominance, and protect the Second Amendment. “Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy,” Trump wrote, calling his support a “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
Blakeman responded by thanking the Chief Executive, saying he was “blessed and grateful to have the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump.” Trump previously endorsed Blakeman in his successful run for Nassau County executive, leading to a Republican win in a county with a majority of Democrat voters.
The endorsement followed Stefanik’s announcement that she was suspending her campaign and would not seek re-election to Congress, ending what had been turning into a contentious Republican primary. She said continuing the contest would be an inefficient use of time and resources in a challenging statewide environment.
Democrats were quick to throw cold water on the development. A spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s campaign dismissed Blakeman as “tied to the MAGA movement,” arguing that such politics are out of step in a state dominated by the left.
Recent polling shows Hochul with a significant lead over potential Republican challengers, underscoring the steep climb facing Blakeman as the general election begins to take shape.