Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Wednesday he will weigh a run for governor — one day after his convincing red wave re-election victory on Long Island.
“I will be meeting with a group of leaders across the state in the next couple of weeks about whether I should run for governor,” the Republican told The Post Wednesday.
Blakeman flirted with the idea of running for governor previously, but his focus shifted to getting re-elected county executive.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Wednesday he will weigh a run for governor — one day after his convincing red wave re-election victory on Long Island. James Messerschmidt
Meanwhile, upstate GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik has already assembled a campaign team to take on Democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026.
Stefanik’s expected entrance in the race had seemed to clear the field, but Blakeman said he’s giving the governor’s race a look.
“If I feel there’s support, I will consider it,” Blakeman said. “The path to defeating Gov. Hochul starts on Long Island.”
He said Hochul is “wildly unpopular” on the island and is more vulnerable politically than she was in 2022.
Blakeman said Hochul is “wildly unpopular” on the island and is more vulnerable politically than she was in 2022. Matthew McDermott
“Her association with Zohran Mamdani will hurt her,” said Blakeman, noting Hochul’s endorsement of the democratic socialist mayor-elect of neighboring New York City.
“I know I will win if I make the decision to run,” Blakeman said.
Blakeman said he got a congratulatory phone call from President Trump Tuesday night, who was thrilled that he and other Republicans won re-election in Nassau County in contrast to big Democratic wins in the city and elsewhere.
State Democratic Party spokesman Addison Dick said of Blakeman’s gubernatorial aspirations, “Elise Stefanik’s campaign is flopping before it even starts as she draws a potential primary challenger.”