Nassau County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman is running for New York governor on the Republican, Conservative and Vote Affordable party lines.
Blakeman faces Gov. Kathy C. Hochul, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, in the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election. The race will decide who leads a state government that sets income tax rates, bail policy and utility regulation affecting Rye, Harrison and Rye Brook residents. Blakeman said on his campaign website he is running to lower taxes, bring down household costs and change the state's approach to public safety.
Candidate information
Full name: Bruce Arthur Blakeman
Date of birth: Oct. 2, 1955
Hometown: Valley Stream, New York
Party: Republican / Conservative / Vote Affordable
Education: Bachelor of arts in political science and government, Arizona State University; juris doctor, California Western School of Law
Experience and public service
Blakeman has held elected and appointed positions in New York for more than three decades, according to his Wikipedia entry and BallotReady:
- Hempstead Town council member (1993–1995)
- Nassau County legislator (1996–1999)
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioner (2001–2009)
- Hempstead Town council member (2015–2021)
- Nassau County executive (2021–present)
He also practiced law privately.
Blakeman won re-election as Nassau County executive in 2025 by 12 points, defeating Democrat Seth Koslow in a county where Democrats hold a 110,000-voter registration advantage, according to his Wikipedia entry.
On the issues
Blakeman's campaign website outlines positions on three areas: taxes, public safety and cost of living.
- Taxes: Blakeman said he wants to cut state income taxes, framing the reduction as a way to ease the financial burden on New York residents.
- Utility costs: He said he would work to reduce utility bills for households across the state, tying the issue to what he describes as a broader cost-of-living crisis.
- Public safety: Blakeman said he wants to repeal the state's bail reform laws, which he describes as soft on crime. He has made restoring what he calls safe streets a central theme of his campaign.
All three positions are stated on Blakeman's campaign website.
Endorsements
The Monroe County GOP has endorsed Blakeman, according to BallotReady, which lists the endorsement as claimed by the endorser.
- Monroe County GOP
A candidate questionnaire was sent to Blakeman's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 12, 2026. The policy positions above are drawn from his public campaign website and public records.
