Hochul and Blakeman go head to head for governor’s seat

Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, is taking on incumbent Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul in this year’s gubernatorial race.

A Quinnipiac University poll released Oct. 21 showed Hochul led Blakeman by 14 points, compared to 19 points the month prior. In its October report, the university found 55% of likely voters supported the current governor and 41% supported her opponent. Four percent of poll respondents did not choose a candidate.

Hochul is seeking reelection with former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams vying for lieutenant governor.

Blakeman is joined on the ballot by running mate Sheriff Todd Hood, who was elected sheriff of Madison County in Central New York in 2018.

Gov. Kathy Hochul

Hochul is seeking reelection alongside her running mate, former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.

A Buffalo native, Hochul grew up in a working-class Irish Catholic household, where her parents emphasized the importance of public service, according to her campaign website.

Hochul worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and began her career in local government as a member of the Hamburg Town Board, her website states. She served as Erie County clerk from 2007 to 2011 before winning a special election to represent New York’s 26th Congressional District.

In 2014, Hochul was elected lieutenant governor alongside then-governor Andrew Cuomo. She became New York’s first female governor following Cuomo’s resignation. She subsequently won election to her first full term in 2022.

Throughout her governorship, Hochul has emphasized affordability, public safety and opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies, according to her website.

Her campaign highlights several accomplishments during her tenure, including distributing inflation-relief payments to more than 8 million New Yorkers, expanding access to free school meals, increasing the state’s child tax credit and reducing taxes for middle-class residents. She has also signed legislation restricting cellphone use during the school day and strengthening gun safety measures.

Hochul was not available for an interview.

Bruce Blakeman

A lifelong New Yorker, Blakeman has built his political career around public service, according to his campaign website.

Blakeman was reelected Nassau County Executive in 2025, winning by a 12-point margin in a county with a Democratic voter registration advantage. His campaign centered on reducing taxes, strengthening public safety and maintaining law enforcement resources.

Before serving as county executive, Blakeman was a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

During his tenure as county executive, Blakeman opposed sanctuary policies, rejected Covid-19 mask mandates and implemented restrictions on transgender girls and women participating in female sports at county-owned facilities.

His campaign also highlights his record as Nassau County executive, including the hiring of hundreds of law enforcement personnel, which he credits with strengthening public safety.

On taxes, Blakeman’s campaign states that he eliminated $150 million in planned county property tax increases proposed by his predecessor and did not raise property or sales tax rates during his administration. He has pledged to pursue similar tax relief policies statewide if elected governor.

Blakeman did not respond to requests for an interview.