Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman on Tuesday said he is running to be the next governor of New York.
"It is official. I am running for Governor of New York. Our state is struggling with high taxes, rising utility bills, and rising crime. New Yorkers deserve a proven leader who will Put New York First," Blakeman said on X.
This pits Blakeman, a lawyer serving his second term as county executive, against Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who announced her plan to run for governor in November. The two Republican politicians are big fans of President Donald Trump and will likely seek his endorsement.
Blakeman is well known in Long Island, but has little name recognition in the rest of the sate. He has drawn national news headlines by creating a force of armed volunteers to deploy in the case of civil unrest and seeking to bar transgender athletes from county facilities, according to the New York Times.
The winner of the Republican primary in June will likely run against Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat.
"New York needs leadership that works. I am ready to take on Kathy Hochul and fight for our families," Blakeman said.
