GOP backs Blakeman for governor, with Trump cheering him on

Republicans formally designated Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman as their candidate for governor on Wednesday, urged on by President Donald Trump and former Gov. George Pataki to fight a political tide that is currently favoring Democrats.

Blakeman, 70, hit dominant Republican talking points in his acceptance speech: Cut taxes, reduce crime, oppose trans males participating in women’s sports, slash spending on migrants, support gun rights and to "always have his back" when it comes to Trump.

Blakeman said winning two consecutive terms in Nassau, where Democrats outnumber Republicans, shows he can produce a statewide victory. He bashed Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is seen as a moderate Democrat but who Blakeman said embraces a "radical agenda" of the progressive left.

"Kathy Hochul simply has a record of failure. This is about my record of success and Kathy Hochul’s (five)-year record of failing," Blakeman told party members gathered at the Garden City Hotel convention. He spoke after party members also backed Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, 57, to run for lieutenant governor.

Blakeman appeared on the podium to accept a formally unanimous vote of support — something that seemed unlikely when he entered the race in December when many GOP leaders had pledged to support North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

But Stefanik abruptly quit the race after Trump refused to endorse either candidate, saying a primary fight would make an already uphill fight harder in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one. The switch to Blakeman as standard-bearer still had some party members grumbling at the convention.

Perhaps to unify them and assuage concerns he isn’t sufficiently conservative, Blakeman made clear he is in line with Trump: "I want it to be very clear to everyone, that when it comes to President Donald Trump, I will always have his back."

'We can win'

Blakeman supporters contend he makes a better statewide candidate than Stefanik, having won in a large downstate county with cross-party support and favoring abortion rights. But they know he is starting more than 20 points behind Hochul according to the latest polls.

Pataki, the last Republican to win a statewide election, said it’s a "tough time" for a Republican to win statewide office given national trends, Democratic enrollment advantages and a perceived Republican enthusiasm gap among some of its own rank-and-file members.

But Pataki contended that Blakeman can turn things around, as he himself did in his 1994 upset of then-Gov. Mario Cuomo. The key, Pataki said, is a cross-party, emotional appeal based on taxes, crime and the direction of New York.

"We can win — we need a lot of Democrats to do that," Pataki said after addressing convention delegates, meaning cross party lines to vote Republican. "It is a tough time for a Republicans to win in New York State but the ideas are there. The policies are there. The need for change is there. ... But if Democrats can take a look at what Bruce has done in Nassau County, they can say, ‘Hey, this is someone I can support.’ "

'Save New York State'

Before Blakeman was nominated, party officials played a video of Trump, apparently reading from a script, saying he strongly endorses the Nassau executive.

"Be sure to get out and vote in November so we can save New York State," Trump said. "I'll be working with Bruce very hard. Will do a great job. You know, Bruce has a fantastic record of winning as a Republican. He won Nassau County by a landslide, and that's something that never happened before. He is a winner."

Hochul, whom Democrats designated as their candidate last week in Syracuse, was quick to tie Blakeman to Trump. "Donald Trump said the quiet part out loud," Hochul said in a statement. "If Blakeman wins in November, Trump will be running the State of New York right alongside him."

Across the street from the hotel, Democrats rallied confidently — calling Trump an albatross on Blakeman’s neck. They said Blakeman’s declaration to always support Trump policies — which are unpopular in New York — will be his undoing.

"He has so tied himself to Trump and people are so unhappy with Trump," Democratic state Chairman Jay Jacobs said at the rally. "Blakeman has an albatross around his neck and he doesn’t even realize it. He’s going to bring this whole Republican ticket down."

Newsday’s Candice Ferrette and Billy House contributed to this story.

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy