Bruce Blakeman vows to thwart Mamdani’s socialist agenda for NYC, rips Hochul for ’embracing’ it

Nassau County Government Bruce Blakeman, the presumptive Republican nominee for New York governor, blamed Gov. Hochul’s insurance policies for driving many New Yorkers out of the Empire State, saying she didn’t resolve a mounting affordability and crime disaster. Throughout a wide-ranging interview with The Submit’s Wealthy Calder, Blakeman, 70, accused Hochul of “embracing” NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist agenda and agreed with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) that the 2026 gubernatorial election will probably be an “existential battle” to avoid wasting New York from socialism. As governor, Blakeman vowed to do no matter it takes to “cease” Mamdani if he feels the mayor’s insurance policies are destroying the economic system or “undermining” legislation enforcement.

Q: Following Gov. Hochul’s State of the State handle earlier this month, you mentioned she’s ignoring New York’s affordability and crime disaster. What would you do to repair this and the way?

A: I’d minimize taxes. I’d spend money on financial improvement. I’d minimize foolish laws that hold companies from coming to New York. I’d do issues obligatory to advertise enterprise right here within the state and create prosperity, so folks have more cash . . . greater wages and higher advantages. That’s the way in which to make it extra inexpensive, to allow them to make selections about how they wish to spend their cash. And with respect to crime, I’ve a document of constructing investments in legislation enforcement, hiring cops, corrections officers, and, principally, I’d finish the sanctuary state coverage of Kathy Hochul, which makes us much less secure, and it diverts billions and billions of {dollars} of middle-class taxpayer cash to individuals who haven’t earned it, who’ve been right here for quarter-hour. They’re undocumented, and they’re right here illegally. … We must always put New Yorkers first and attempt to make our residents happier. And I feel we will do this by making it extra inexpensive, safer, and having a governor who truly cares and does what he guarantees to do, in contrast to Kathy Hochul, who yearly guarantees to do one thing, and does nearly nothing.

Q: What about repealing cashless bail and congestion pricing?

A: One of many first issues I’ll do as governor is figure with the [state] Legislature to repeal cashless bail. Cashless bail is a failure. You might have folks committing crime after crime after crime, they usually [avoid jail] with out penalties … [Also, the] Increase the Age [Law] has been a catastrophe. We have to . . . modify it. And on the subject of congestion pricing, I’ll finish congestion pricing, which is not more than a tax on the center class.

 Q: Do you are feeling Hochul was out of line claiming the Trump administration violated the legislation by sending troops into Venezuela to seize dictator Nicolás Maduro?

A: I consider anyone who tries to maintain our youngsters from being poisoned by medication is someone [who] ought to be complimented quite than criticized. Kathy Hochul is pro-criminal. The whole lot she talks about – cashless bail, Increase the Age, sanctuary state — is pro-criminal. And for her to defend a drug lord-class dictator like Maduro is unconscionable, and it simply reveals how out of contact she is with actuality.

Q:  What do you consider the governor’s assist for laws permitting New Yorkers to sue ICE officers in the event that they really feel their constitutional rights are violated following the capturing demise of Renee Good in Minneapolis?

A: The elected officers across the nation, and notably Kathy Hochul and [NYC Mayor] Zohran Mamdani, are undermining legislation enforcement efforts of our federal brokers who’re sworn to uphold the legislation. Moderately than be spit at, and quite than be sued, and quite than have throw rocks at them, we ought to be embracing their mission.

Q: Had been you shocked final month when Rep. Stefanik dropped out of the governor’s race, and have you ever spoken to her since?

A: Elise Stefanik mentioned she desires to spend extra time along with her household, and that’s fully comprehensible with a younger daughter. I feel now we have to take her at her phrase that this was her paramount cause for taking a pause in her political profession.

Q: Do you anticipate her to assist your marketing campaign in any method?

A: Elise Stefanik is a stalwart Republican, and I’m certain she would quite see me as governor than Kathy Hochul.

Q: Had been you shocked President Trump has embraced the thought of working with Mayor Mamdani?

A: I feel President Trump has a document of speaking with everybody, whether or not or not it’s the dictator in North Korea, whether or not or not it’s different folks he disagrees with around the globe, and even right here, domestically, and that’s one thing he feels is essential to maintain traces of communication open, and I don’t criticize him for that. I feel that’s his fashion, and to date, it’s labored for properly for him.

Q: When Mamdani gained the mayor’s race, Stefanik informed me she felt the governor’s race can be an existential battle to avoid wasting New York’s soul from socialism? Is that one thing you agree with?

A:  I agree 100% along with her analysis. We’ve a mayor who talks about collectivism, which is a code phrase for communism. He criticizes individualism, which principally means particular person freedom, particular person achievement, are issues that he doesn’t consider in. And Kathy Hochul has embraced Zohran Mamdani’s agenda. She talked about him glowingly 3 times at her State of the State speech and didn’t speak about her document as soon as as a result of she’s bought a document of constructing folks in New York depressing. . . . She’s embraced someone who has values which can be un-American, and I feel it’s very telling that they’re now political allies.

Q: How would you cope with Mayor Mamdani in case you turn out to be governor?

A: I’ve mentioned very clearly that if he tries to destroy the economic system of New York Metropolis, I’ll cease him, and if he tries to undermine legislation enforcement in New York Metropolis, I’ll take measures to ensure that individuals are secure in New York Metropolis and safe.

Q: What sort of assist do you anticipate from President Trump and nationwide Republicans in your race? Do you assume they really feel it’s winnable and funding of their time?

A: I’m assured that I’ll get the assist of average Democrats, unbiased women and men, and Republicans and conservatives as a result of I’ve a typical sense strategy to authorities. I’ve a observe document of constructing communities safer and extra affluent. And Kathy Hochul is the other. She has made us much less secure and made New York much less inexpensive with insurance policies which can be failures.

Q: However do you anticipate assist from the nationwide Republicans and the president?

A: I wouldn’t restrict it to that. I’d restrict it to Democrats who’ve overtly mentioned they’ll assist my candidacy emotionally and financially. So average Democrats will probably be an essential a part of my marketing campaign, in addition to unbiased voters. And, in fact, the muse of my marketing campaign will probably be with the Republicans and the conservatives who nominated me as a result of they agree with the positions that I’ve taken as county government and know I’ll apply them to state authorities.

Q: When was the final time you spoke with the president? And is there something you may share about it?

A: I don’t share confidential discussions with the president, however I did converse with him final Monday, and he wished me good luck.

Q: Do you assume the Nationwide Guard ought to be deployed in New York Metropolis?

A: I consider the NYPD is ably geared up to deal with any legislation enforcement challenge in New York Metropolis if the mayor doesn’t intrude with their duties. So I’ve a complete plan for what I’d do incrementally, if, in reality, Mamdani was not implementing the legislation or making it unsafe for cops. I cannot tolerate lawlessness, and I cannot tolerate an unsafe surroundings for our legislation enforcement officers.

Q: Something you may share on that plan?

A: I wish to do it incrementally, so let’s simply say that I’m very well-versed within the powers that I might implement ought to Mamdani … make town lawless, or if he was not defending our cops and different legislation enforcement officers.

Q: Does New York Metropolis or different elements of the Empire State want extra ICE raids, or ought to the company in the reduction of?

A: I feel ICE ought to be allowed to function in any group the place there are unlawful migrants with prison information preying on law-abiding residents. So, I’ve no plans to curtail ICE’s mission of eradicating harmful criminals who’re right here illegally from our communities.

Q: The place do you stand on the Lengthy Island Railroad union contract negotiations, and are you nervous a couple of strike?

A: Properly, proper now there’s a pause [until mid-May], so we’ll see how negotiations go. My feeling with respect to collective bargaining is that it’s precisely what it’s presupposed to be: negotiations and bargaining. And principally, I feel we have to have employees who’re competent, certified, and glad of their employment. And the one factor about Kathy Hochul is, most [state] employees … are depressing beneath her management as a result of she just isn’t chief. She doesn’t care about her staff, and it’s demonstrated by the truth that she’s had a lot labor unrest.

Q:  Lengthy Island didn’t win one of many three downstate on line casino bids not too long ago awarded. Did that trouble you as Nassau County government, and do you’ve got any want, if governor, to open extra downstate – together with in Nassau or Suffolk counties?

A: I don’t wish to speak about that challenge proper now as there could also be litigation.

Q: What are your favourite sports activities groups?

A: Properly, clearly, I’m from Nassau County, so I’m an Islanders fan. I’m a Knicks fan, though I’ll say that when the Nets have been right here within the ABA on Lengthy Island, I used to be the Nets fan again then, however since they moved to New Jersey and now to Brooklyn, I’ve been a Knicks fan for an extended, very long time. With respect to baseball, I’m a Yankees fan. In soccer, I’m extra of a school soccer man, but when I had a choice, it will most likely be the Buffalo Payments, and the Giants and the Jets, secondary.

Q: Are there some other main points going through New Yorkers you propose to handle if elected?

A: We’re probably the most overtaxed state in the USA, and that’s why companies are leaving. That’s why individuals are leaving. And that goes to the affordability challenge. How can the governor say she desires to make this state extra inexpensive when she desires to extend taxes, she instituted congestion pricing, and he or she has indicated that she would proceed to boost taxes? . . . We’re probably the most overregulated state in the USA. That hurts enterprise improvement and job creation and prosperity. And now we have excessive insurance coverage costs, a number of the highest in the USA. Our vitality prices are a number of the highest in the USA. She’s been in cost for [more than] 4 years. What has she accomplished about affordability? The reply is nothing.