48 hours after being reelected Nassau County executive, Bruce Blakeman eyes 2026 governor's race

Less than 48 hours after being reelected as Nassau County Executive, Bruce Blakeman is eyeing a run for governor next year.

"We're looking at it very seriously," he said Thursday. "I've been on the phone all morning with political leaders and community leaders, and, most importantly, business leaders who are very concerned about what’s going on in New York City."

On Tuesday, as Democrats won key seats in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City, Republicans swept Nassau County, carrying on a red torch from 2021 — holding onto all countywide offices, supervisors’ seats of all three towns, and taking full control of Democratic strongholds like the Long Beach City Council.

Blakeman defeated his Democratic challenger, Nassau Legis. Seth Koslow (D-Merrick) by more than 36,000 votes. Four years ago, Blakeman beat Democratic incumbent Laura Curran by 2,150 votes.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), a close ally of President Donald Trump, who he nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is expected to announce a gubernatorial run on Friday, The New York Times reported.

Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran Democratic political consultant, told Newsday, "Blakeman is more likely to win."

"He’s got Nassau and Suffolk counties ... and the Mamdani effect will bring more Republican turnout in the suburbs," he said, referring to New York City mayor-elect  Zohran Mamdani.

With more than 2.1 million active voters, Long Island makes up 17% of voters across the state.

It is generally considered that Republican gubernatorial candidates need more than 30% of New York City’s vote to win statewide office. Republican Lee Zeldin, who is now the EPA Administrator, won 30% in 2022, up from 15% for GOP candidate Marc Molinaro in 2018.

Blakeman has a better shot than Stefanik of winning that share of New York City voters because "he’s perceived to be less Trumpian," Sheinkopf said.

Mike Dawidziak, a pollster and Republican political strategist, said, "If you’re looking at this race, and you’re thinking, what kind of candidate do we need? [Blakeman] makes a lot of sense."

Republicans "may be looking at [Stefanik’s] congressional seat and thinking, ‘Do we really want to give up a safe seat in Congress?’" he added.

Asked Thursday what would happen to his role as county executive if he threw his hat in the ring for governor, Blakeman said, "I'll still do my job, just like everybody who runs for election ... I will have my finger on the pulse of everything."