Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has described Manhattan as a "disaster" that resembles a "third-world country" due to the presence of homeless encampments and street litter.
Blakeman voiced his concerns on 77 WABC Radio’s “Cats Roundtable,” telling host John Catsimatidis that store owners in Manhattan are distressed by the visible homelessness and the condition of the streets. "The place is just a disaster," he stated, adding, "It just looks like a third-world country."
His remarks follow a recent report detailing how Mayor Zohran Mamdani has permitted homeless encampments to proliferate near the Intrepid Museum. Blakeman also criticized the mayor for canceling the hiring of new New York City police officers, citing recent shootings over the Fourth of July weekend as evidence of a decline in public safety.
"It’s like gunfights from the Wild West," Blakeman said. "When you have a mayor that has a budget larger than the State of Florida, and he couldn’t find money to hire cops and not fill vacancies of all the people who retired over the last year — you know that his heart is not into protecting our communities."
Blakeman also targeted his Democratic opponent, Governor Kathy Hochul, accusing her of overseeing a state with a poor economic outlook. He suggested that Democrats seeking "common sense" are hoping for his victory.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal dismissed Blakeman's statements as smears, characterizing the current period in Manhattan as a "fun summer." He contrasted Blakeman's views with ongoing city attractions and asserted that crime in Manhattan is at low levels, making it safe for visitors.
Hoylman-Sigal also linked Blakeman to former President Donald Trump, calling Blakeman's campaign inseparable from Trump, whom he described as an unpopular figure in modern American history. "The real disaster is Bruce Blakeman’s campaign that’s joined at the hip with Donald Trump, the most unpopular president in modern American history."
Governor Hochul's campaign spokesperson, Ryan Radulovack, also criticized Blakeman's perspective, stating he is in an "alternate universe." Radulovack highlighted the governor's efforts in reducing costs for families, investing in police, and confiscating illegal firearms, while characterizing Blakeman as aligned with the "MAGA" movement and accusing him of allowing violent crime to reach ten-year highs.
Blakeman faces a significant voter enrollment disadvantage in New York State, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a substantial margin. To win the upcoming elections, he will need to secure votes from unaffiliated and crossover voters in the predominantly Democratic state.