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Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in New York's 2026 gubernatorial race, has sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's recent endorsement of incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul.
In a statement released Friday, Blakeman accused Hochul of cutting a "backroom deal" with Mamdani to advance what he called a "socialist agenda" in Albany.
"Whatever deal was made, hardworking men and women are the ones who will pay the price," Blakeman said.
The endorsement comes as Mamdani, the socialist mayor of America's largest city, has become an increasingly influential figure in progressive politics. In his endorsement published in "The Nation," Mamdani praised Hochul as "someone willing to engage in an honest dialogue that leads to results," while acknowledging their differences on taxing the wealthy, according to Fox News.
Hochul welcomed the endorsement, stating: "Mayor Mamdani understands that we need to build a New York that everyone can afford — I'm grateful for his partnership in finally bringing universal child care to New York."
Blakeman has consistently positioned himself as a staunch opponent of Mamdani's policies. In a January interview with the New York Post, he vowed to "stop" the mayor if elected governor, saying he would intervene if Mamdani tried to "destroy the economy of New York City" or "undermine law enforcement." Blakeman told The Post, "We have a mayor who talks about collectivism, which is a code word for communism... And Kathy Hochul has embraced Zohran Mamdani's agenda."
The Nassau County Executive became the presumptive Republican nominee after Congresswoman Elise Stefanik withdrew from the race in December, citing family considerations. President Donald Trump endorsed Blakeman shortly after Stefanik's exit.
Despite Blakeman's confidence, recent polling shows him facing an uphill battle. A Siena University poll indicated Hochul maintains a substantial lead over Blakeman in a hypothetical matchup, though Blakeman has demonstrated electoral strength by winning reelection as Nassau County Executive in 2025 with a 12-point margin in a county with 110,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.
The gubernatorial race is also seeing movement on the Democratic side, with Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado mounting a primary challenge against Hochul. Delgado recently named former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as his running mate.
Hochul, who became New York's first female governor in 2021 following Andrew Cuomo's resignation, has chosen former New York City Council speaker Adrienne Adams as her running mate, creating the state's first all-female major party ticket.
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