New York Governor Primary Outlook Becomes Increasingly Complicated with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s Entry into the Fray.
The New York Republican Party is finding itself increasingly entangled in a potential primary for governor next year as long-time ally of President Donald Trump, Bruce Blakeman, begins to make overtures towards a gubernatorial run. Despite party leaders declaring that there won't be a Republican primary and backing Rep. Elise Stefanik for the position, Blakeman is undeterred.
Blakeman's bid has sparked tension within the GOP as state Chair Ed Cox backs Stefanik, while others see Blakeman as a viable alternative to defeat Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. However, several factors are working against a Republican candidate in New York - Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 2-to-1 statewide, and no GOP member has won statewide office since 2002.
Blakeman aims to capitalize on his strong performance in Nassau County and Suffolk County, key areas for the GOP. "I think I have a base and a springboard for becoming a governor that's much stronger than anybody else," he stated in an interview. By focusing on Long Island and other Republican strongholds across upstate New York, Blakeman is trying to carve out his niche as a contender.
However, strategists say both Stefanik and Blakeman would need to develop robust plans to gain traction in heavily Democratic New York City - where Republicans typically underperform. A decisive showing in NYC could go a long way in bolstering any candidate's chances at winning the governorship.
While Trump could provide crucial backing for one of the candidates, that endorsement is still pending as he has been known to be unpredictable when it comes to supporting party members. Ultimately, Blakeman plans to respect his party's wishes if they opt against a primary and instead back Stefanik.
It remains unclear which direction the New York GOP will take in this highly competitive election cycle - but one thing is certain: Blakeman is determined to make his voice heard, even as the odds are stacked against him.
The New York Republican Party is finding itself increasingly entangled in a potential primary for governor next year as long-time ally of President Donald Trump, Bruce Blakeman, begins to make overtures towards a gubernatorial run. Despite party leaders declaring that there won't be a Republican primary and backing Rep. Elise Stefanik for the position, Blakeman is undeterred.
Blakeman's bid has sparked tension within the GOP as state Chair Ed Cox backs Stefanik, while others see Blakeman as a viable alternative to defeat Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. However, several factors are working against a Republican candidate in New York - Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 2-to-1 statewide, and no GOP member has won statewide office since 2002.
Blakeman aims to capitalize on his strong performance in Nassau County and Suffolk County, key areas for the GOP. "I think I have a base and a springboard for becoming a governor that's much stronger than anybody else," he stated in an interview. By focusing on Long Island and other Republican strongholds across upstate New York, Blakeman is trying to carve out his niche as a contender.
However, strategists say both Stefanik and Blakeman would need to develop robust plans to gain traction in heavily Democratic New York City - where Republicans typically underperform. A decisive showing in NYC could go a long way in bolstering any candidate's chances at winning the governorship.
While Trump could provide crucial backing for one of the candidates, that endorsement is still pending as he has been known to be unpredictable when it comes to supporting party members. Ultimately, Blakeman plans to respect his party's wishes if they opt against a primary and instead back Stefanik.
It remains unclear which direction the New York GOP will take in this highly competitive election cycle - but one thing is certain: Blakeman is determined to make his voice heard, even as the odds are stacked against him.
like whats the point of havin a repub gov candidate if ur gonna loseNYC like cmon ppl we gotta think outside the box 
theres gotta be somethin more to this story than just trumps support tho idk maybe hes tryna make a comeback or somethin anyway lol i just wanna know wut bruce blakemans got planned 4 long island 
️. Like, if you can't even crack the city with someone like Elise, how are you gonna win statewide? He needs a plan B that shows he's not just a one-trick pony 
. And what about those other areas where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 2-to-1? You gotta think outside the box and find new ways to turn out voters 
. Trump's endorsement would be huge, but if he holds back, Blakeman needs to make some noise of his own 
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. He's got a strong track record in Long Island and that's gotta count for something.
. One thing's for sure, though - whoever wins the primary's gonna need some serious gameplan to take down Kathy Hochul 
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. If Blakeman can develop a strong plan to take on Hochul in that notoriously Democratic city, he might just have a shot 
. Fingers crossed we'll get some clarity soon on what's next for NYGOP! 
anyway so bruce blakeman thinks he's got a shot at beating Kathy hochul with his strong perf in long island & upstate NY but realistically he'd have to do way better than that to even come close 
and can you imagine trump endorsing someone? that's just gonna give them all a free pass to fail 
. I mean, Elise Stefanik already has some decent endorsements lined up, but Blakeman's got that Long Island thing down pat 
. If he can translate that grassroots support into the rest of the state, he might just have a shot at this 
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. They're gonna need some serious game-changing strategies to get past those Democratic numbers 
. And then there's Trump - bless his heart 
.
They need someone who can win over NYC, but that's no easy feat for anyone, especially Republicans. 
And what's really interesting is how Trump's endorsement is still up in the air - I mean, he's been known to be super unpredictable when it comes to party loyalty... 
But hey, at least Blakeman is being honest about his goals and isn't trying to hide behind anyone else. That's gotta count for something! 
. If Trump does decide to back someone, it could be either guy and that would just muddy the waters. Long Island is definitely Blakeman's breadbasket, but NYC is like a whole different ball game... Republicans always struggle there 
. This whole thing just smells like politics to me... it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out 
i'm not sure if either stefanik or blakeman can crack that NYC barrier though - that place is basically a lost cause for republicans sadly 
still, you gotta respect blakeman's determination to make his voice heard. maybe we'll see some interesting developments in the coming months