Blakeman Challenges Hochul to Debate on Long Island
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Blakeman has issued a challenge to Governor Kathy Hochul, urging her to come to Long Island for a debate. This challenge comes after his campaign sent his running mate, Adrian Adams, on a press tour focused on criticizing Blakeman.
Adams, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor and former NYC Council President, launched what has been termed the “Blakeman Price” tour by posing in front of Blakeman’s office in Nassau County.
“Cathy Hochul herself didn’t have the courage to come here,” Blakeman remarked to reporters in a County Council meeting after the press event. He added, “Next time, don’t send a representative. Come yourself. Let us stand here shoulder to shoulder and discuss issues that affect the people of this county and New York state.”
Adams had criticized Blakeman—a known ally of Trump—for allegedly jeopardizing public safety with his adherence to “100% MAGA policy.”
He stated, “Mr. Blakeman even promised to bring ‘Trump-style leadership’ to New York as governor. I don’t even like that phrase. It’s creepy,” highlighting the controversy surrounding Blakeman’s political alignment.
Accompanied by Democrats including state party chair Jay Jacobs and local county legislators, Adams took aim at Blakeman for his controversial collaboration with ICE and his plans regarding civilian representation.
Interestingly, a recent article noted that Blakeman’s predecessor, Laura Curran, was credited for Nassau’s impressive reputation as “America’s safest suburb.”
“Violent crime in Nassau County has skyrocketed to the highest levels in a decade under his watch,” Jacobs stated, referring to statistics from the Nassau Police Department, along with concerns about a shortage of officers following over 200 recent hires.
In response, Blakeman expressed confidence, insisting he could confront Hochul anytime to debate her “terrible” record.
Adams has also been critical of Hochul regarding rising utility costs that are straining New Yorkers and for her failure to meet the April 1 budget deadline amid ongoing negotiations with her Democratic peers.
When questioned about the potential economic impacts of President Trump’s tariffs and military actions against Iran, Blakeman visibly bristled, associating Iran with the September 11 terrorist attacks and advocating for military action. He expressed, “If they’re going to eliminate 3,000 New Yorkers in a terrorist attack, if they have nuclear weapons, they’re going to want to eliminate 3 million people. They have no respect for human life and they hate America.”
