Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announces run for NYS governor

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced Tuesday that he is seeking the Republican nomination for governor of New York.

In a post on his election website, Blakeman touts what he says is his record of holding down Nassau County taxes and working with law enforcement officials to curtail crime.

The move will pit Blakeman in a Republican fight with North Country Rep. Elise Stefanik for the right to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in next year's election.

In the video, which lasts for more than two minutes, Blakeman's campaign uses multiple images of the executive at podiums extolling his achievements and in photos with President Donald Trump, members of the law enforcement community and ordinary citizens.

The announcement also contains images of those Blakeman said he is out to defeat, including a side-by-side shot of Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Stefanik, of Schuylerville in Saratoga County, has been endorsed by state Republican chairman Ed Cox and county-level Republican leaders.

In an email, a Stefanik campaign spokeswoman said Blakeman "has no shot," and his bid "blows up the best opportunity in a generation" for Republicans, by "putting his ego first."

Hochul said previously she would welcome a GOP primary.

"If there’s a Republican primary, it makes it much more entertaining for me," the governor said on Monday at a nanotech event in Albany. "Let’s let him go at it. Let’s see how they out-MAGA each other in the primary. No, it doesn't matter which Trump cheerleader decides to run against me — the narrative is the same."

Check back for updates on this developing story.