President Donald Trump has endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for New York governor just one day after close ally Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) exited the race.
Trump touted Blakeman as “MAGA all the way,” issuing the coveted endorsement “without hesitation.”
“Highly Respected and very popular Nassau County Executive, Bruce Blakeman, is running to be the next Governor of New York,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D-NY) campaign seized on the endorsement after it dropped, framing it as putting “Trump first, New York last.”
“Donald Trump endorsed Bruce Blakeman for one reason: he’ll put Trump first, New York last, and leave families to foot the bill,” Hochul campaign communications director Sarafina Chitika said in a statement. “Take it from Trump, Blakeman is ‘MAGA all the way’ — he cheered Trump’s expensive tariffs that jack up costs for New Yorkers, ran Nassau’s safety-net hospital into the ground, and stayed silent when Trump slashed nearly $200 million from the NYPD. Blakeman should have learned a lesson from Elise Stefanik: MAGA sellouts don’t win New York, and they sure as hell don’t end up in the governor’s mansion.”
The president’s announcement follows Stefanik’s suspension of her gubernatorial campaign and retirement from Congress, two moves that were largely unexpected.
Stefanik cited family commitments as her reasoning, saying she wants to spend more time with her son.
But Trump notably dodged on endorsing either Blakeman or Stefanik when both were still set to face off in the Republican primary next June.
Just last week, Trump lauded both as “fantastic people,” adding, “I always hate it when two very good friends of mine are running.”
STEFANIK SUSPENDS GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN AND ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM CONGRESS
Still, Trump had nothing but praise for Stefanik after her announcement on Friday, saying she “is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does.”
“She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!” he added.
