Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Blakeman has branded New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani as "dangerous" figures whose policies, he claims, threaten the state's well-being. Blakeman, currently serving as Nassau County executive, asserted during a radio interview on Sunday that electing him is the only way to "restore sanity" to New York.
Blakeman, speaking on 77 WABC radio's "Cats Roundtable," accused Mamdani of advancing a "socialist agenda" which he believes Hochul is enabling. He drew parallels between Hochul and Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, suggesting their policies are causing "shared misery" in the state. "They want to make everybody miserable so they don’t know the difference between being happy and being miserable," Blakeman stated.
His remarks follow recent Democratic primary election results in New York where candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America saw significant victories. These outcomes could potentially reshape the state's Democratic power structure and policy priorities. Among the notable wins were Darializa Avila Chevalier defeating Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District, and former DSA member Brad Lander unseating Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th District. Additionally, DSA member Claire Valdez secured a vacant seat in the 7th District, and DSA candidates nearly doubled their representation in Albany through state legislature races.
Blakeman also targeted several state and city policies, criticizing New York's high taxes, congestion pricing, and elevated electricity bills, which he noted are 70% higher than the national average. He specifically condemned the allocation of billions of dollars towards undocumented immigrants, arguing that these taxpayer funds should instead benefit New York residents. "I will end it on Day One," Blakeman vowed.
He further criticized the recent rent freeze on one- and two-year leases for approximately one million rent-regulated apartments in New York City. Blakeman expressed concern that the freeze would disincentivize property maintenance, potentially leading landlords to abandon their buildings, which he suggested could result in their conversion to public housing managed by the New York City Housing Authority. "Nobody is investing in affordable housing anymore in New York," he warned, adding that landlords may keep vacant units off the market due to the inability to afford necessary repairs.
In response to Blakeman's criticisms, the Hochul campaign stated that the governor is focused on reducing costs for families and has worked to deliver universal childcare and issue inflation refund checks. Campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki characterized Blakeman as catering to the far-right and aligning with "MAGA all the way."
According to a Siena College poll released last week, Governor Hochul holds a 20-point lead over Blakeman, with 52% of likely voters supporting Hochul compared to 32% for Blakeman, with less than five months remaining until the November elections.