The gloves are off!<\/p>\n
Gov. Kathy Hochul and her likely GOP election opponent Bruce Blakeman traded public barbs on his Long Island home turf Friday \u2014 as the two head full speed into what\u2019s bound to be a heated election year.<\/p>\n
Taking the stage first at the annual Long Island Association Breakfast was Blakeman, the Nassau County executive and President Trump ally \u2014 who quipped \u201ca new governor\u201d when asked by a moderator what he wanted for the new year.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere on Long Island, people are generally happy \u2014 but as I travel around the state, there are regions that aren\u2019t very happy, they\u2019re miserable \u2014 they feel that the state government has let them down,\u201d Blakeman said.<\/p>\n
Gov. Kathy Hochul and her most likely GOP challenger Bruce Blakeman both appeared at the Long Island Association breakfast. Dennis A. Clark<\/p>\n
Blakeman and Hochul were spotted exchanging an awkward handshake just off stage, despite their barbs before and after. Dennis A. Clark<\/p>\n
He complained about Democrat Hochul\u2019s management of the migrant crisis, criticizing both the state and New York City\u2019s spending of upwards of $5 billion to handle the influx of new arrivals who arrived after illegally crossing the southern US border.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you see what\u2019s going on in the city of New York, they\u2019re basically in turmoil right now with an administration that is antithetical to the values that we have here on Long Island,\u201d Blakeman added \u2014 taking a shot at new socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani.<\/p>\n
As Blakeman walked off stage, he and Hochul were spotted by The Post shaking hands briefly as she walked on, clearly prepared to get in some licks of her own.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cut my teeth in local government. I have such respect for board members and supervisors and mayors \u2014 all the way on up to most county executives,\u201d Hochul said, in a subtle swipe at her Republican foe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hochul took a jab at Blakeman at the breakfast, implying she doesn\u2019t have \u201crespect\u201d for the Nassau exec. Dennis A. Clark<\/p>\n
\u201cHi Ed Romaine, how you doing out there?\u201d she said right after, referring to the Republican Suffolk County executive, snubbing Blakeman to laughter from the crowd.<\/p>\n
Hochul went on to brag about state investments in the Long Island Rail Road and Long Island MacArthur Airport. <\/p>\n
She also blasted Trump for trying to kill<\/a> the Sunrise and Empire wind energy projects off of Long Island\u2019s coasts.<\/p>\n And Hochul also took the fight straight to Blakeman, openly ripping him over Nassau County\u2019s coordination with federal<\/a> immigration authorities and his program to deputize citizens<\/a>, which she described as a \u201cmilitia.\u201d<\/p>\n Blakeman said the state government has let people down. Dennis A. Clark<\/p>\n