Blakeman to Newsmax: Stefanik Exit Clears Path to Challenge Hochul

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman told Newsmax on Saturday that he respects Rep. Elise Stefanik's decision to drop out of the New York governor's race and step away from Congress, and positioned himself as the top GOP alternative to Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"People don't realize that when you're in a public life, you live in a fishbowl," Blakeman said on Newsmax's "Saturday Report," adding that a statewide campaign is "24-seven from now until Election Day."

He said he views Stefanik as "an excellent, excellent public official" and predicted "she'll be back," while emphasizing that "spending more time with your family is something that I think is on a lot of minds of people."

Blakeman on Saturday also detailed his campaign and its stress on public safety, affordability, and opposition to New York's sanctuary policies.

Blakeman said he has focused on expanding law enforcement capacity in Nassau County while maintaining fiscal discipline.

"So over the last three years as county executive, I've hired new law enforcement professionals, 400 new police officers, 200 new corrections officers," he said.

"And I did it without raising taxes one penny over four years and got seven bond upgrades from Wall Street rating agencies for our good fiscal management."

Blakeman said the approach shows New York can "back the blue" while still balancing budgets, but he accused Hochul of moving the state in the opposite direction — both on spending and immigration enforcement.

"But Kathy Hochul has made this into a sanctuary state," he said.

Blakeman criticized what he described as billions in taxpayer spending on services for migrants.

"She spent $4.5 billion of taxpayer money giving people who have been here for 15 minutes," he said. "They've been here illegally, and she's given them free lodging, free food, free transportation, and a free cell phone."

He said those funds should have been directed toward residents and core services.

"That $4.5 billion could have been spent on cutting taxes, investments in infrastructure, investments in our hospitals and investments in our schools and education," Blakeman said.

Blakeman also pointed to New York City politics, saying he would confront what he described as permissive enforcement when Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office.

"Let me say this as governor, I will put a check on Mamdani if he doesn't enforce the law in New York City, I'm not going to let New York City go down the tubes," he said.

"So I'll bring in the state police if necessary. I'll bring in the National Guard if necessary, to make sure that the law is enforced in New York City," he added.

Blakeman warned that socialist-style policies would damage the city's economy, calling New York City "the financial capital of the world."

He invoked late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to underscore his point: "As Winston Churchill said, socialism is nothing more than shared misery. And I want to make people in New York State happy again."

He said he would move quickly if elected, pledging immediate action on immigration, public safety, and the cost of living.

"When I become governor, I will end the sanctuary program," Blakeman said. "I will concentrate on economic development and affordability so people have more money in their pocket to spend on not only necessities, but the luxuries of life that everybody wants for their kids and their grandkids."

In closing, Blakeman framed the race as a chance to reverse what he called failed policies in Albany.

New Yorkers want safer communities and a government that prioritizes residents' everyday needs, rather than "handouts and government programs that do nothing to make their lives any better," he said.

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