The Gloves Are Off!
On Friday, tension flared between Gov. Kathy Hochul and her likely Republican rival, Bruce Blakeman, as they both addressed their home turf in Long Island, gearing up for what promises to be a tumultuous election year.
Blakeman, the Nassau County executive and a supporter of Trump, kicked off the public exchange at the annual Long Island Association breakfast. When the host inquired about his hopes for the new year, he jokingly replied, “A new governor.”
He remarked, “People here on Long Island seem to be generally content, but travel a bit further and you’ll find places where folks are pretty unhappy—like they’re being let down by the state government.”
Blakeman voiced concerns over Hochul’s approach to the immigration crisis, pointing out that both the state and New York City have collectively spent over $5 billion managing the surge of new immigrants arriving illegally at the U.S. southern border.
He added, “New York City is essentially in chaos right now, with leadership that stands in stark contrast to our values here in Long Island,” critiquing new mayor Zoran Mamdani, whom he labeled a socialist.
As he stepped down from the podium, observers caught a glimpse of him and Hochul briefly shaking hands, seemingly about to exchange some unflattering remarks.
Hochul, in her turn, referenced her local government experience and showed some thinly veiled disdain for Republican candidates. “I value the work of all board members, supervisors, and mayors, right down to many county executives,” she remarked.
“Hello, Ed Romaine, how are you?” she said playfully, nodding to the Republican Suffolk County executive while poking fun at Blakeman, evoking laughter from the audience.
She continued bragging about the state investments in the Long Island Rail Road and Long Island MacArthur Airport, while also accusing Trump of trying to undermine wind energy projects near Long Island.
Hochul didn’t shy away from direct confrontation either, openly criticizing Blakeman’s dealings with federal immigration authorities, describing his initiatives as a “militia.”
In comparison to past exchanges, this one felt a bit more restrained. Two years prior, Blakeman had told Hochul to “stay away from Long Island” right before stepping on stage, and Hochul had even hinted at withholding funding from him in response.
“But you wouldn’t want to lose all your funding, would you?” she had challenged.
