Bruce Blakeman says he'll meet with President Trump to discuss gubernatorial run

ALBANY – Republican Bruce Blakeman said Monday he will be traveling Tuesday to the White House to meet President Donald Trump to discuss the Nassau County executive’s run for governor.

“I haven’t seen him in a while. We’re going to get together and have a chat,” Blakeman told reporters at the State Capitol after doing a radio show. “We’re going to talk about New York State. We’re going to talk about issues. We’re going to talk about policies. We’re going to talk about a wide range of issues.”

Blakeman said the trip will be paid by his political campaign, though he is also making the trip to discuss Nassau County.

“I’m going down with a dual purpose: As a county executive and, obviously, as a candidate for governor,” Blakeman said.

Blakeman is trailing Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, in the latest polls by double digits and also trails in fund-raising by nearly $20 million.

Trump has been unpopular with New York’s general electorate in polls, though he still has strong Republican support. Hochul and Democrats have been trying to use that against Blakeman, saying, among other things, he’d put Trump first, above New Yorkers.

“While Governor Hochul spends every day fighting to lower costs for New York families, Bruce Blakeman is groveling at Trump’s feet – getting his marching orders to jack up costs with illegal, expensive tariffs, start an armed MAGA militia instead of supporting local cops, and let ICE run rampant,” said Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki.

Blakeman has said Hochul is running away from a record of failure.

“Every portion of the state I travel, people are miserable under Kathy Hochul,” Blakeman said.

He deflected when asked if he was going to meet with Trump’s political team or specifically seek the president’s help with fund-raising.

“The president has been very generous with me with his endorsements,” Blakeman responded. “I can’t be more pleased with his support. I never run away from his support. … It’s going to be a wide-ranging discussion, I’m sure.”

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy