Republican · New York governor · 2026
Bruce Blakeman
Blakeman grew up on Long Island in a family already steeped in public life: his father was a state assemblyman, and both parents served during World War II.
Biography
Bruce Blakeman grew up in Valley Stream with a brother and three sisters.1 He tells a distinctive story about his parents: they met when his father jumped into an Island Park canal, mistakenly believing his mother was drowning.1 He and his wife, Segal, a Family Court judge, live in Atlantic Beach; he has a son and two stepchildren.12
His summer jobs included work as a janitor, dishwasher, busboy and garbage collector.1 He attended Arizona State University and California Western School of Law, then worked in real estate law and business consulting.31 His political experience also includes working as a driver and aide to Nancy Reagan in 1980.1
Blakeman served on Hempstead's town board, became the Nassau County Legislature's first presiding officer in 1996 and later served on the Port Authority board.13 He was elected county executive in 2021 and reelected in 2025.4 His 2026 budget, adopted by the county Legislature, held the county property tax levy flat.56
As a candidate for governor, he promises tax cuts and increased natural gas production to reduce utility costs.7 He supports abortion rights, describing the decision as one for a woman and her doctor.1 He faces Democrat Kathy Hochul, challenging her bid for a second full term and offering a different direction on the state's affordability agenda.8