Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman recently took over Rep. Elise Stefanik‘s (R-NY) spot as the GOP gubernatorial front-runner, and Republicans have questions about his abortion-rights stance.
Blakeman, who leads a county with more Democrats than Republicans, has maintained that he believes abortion law in New York is “well-settled.” New York has abortion enshrined in state law.
“He’s going to have to, in more detail, explain that position,” the state’s Conservative Party chairman, Gerard Kassar, told Politico. “It’s important that he recognizes that there are concerns in different parts of the state.”
Kassar noted “that the Republican and Conservative Parties be united on a gubernatorial run” and that he believes Blakeman will win over the county chairs.
The county executive feels his strength in the other matters will propel him.
“They all feel that I’m so good on the other issues that they understand that’s my position and they’re still willing to support me,” Blakeman said.
Erie County Conservative Chairman Ralph Lorigo expressed disappointment that Stefanik dropped out and is also wondering how deep Blakeman’s abortion-rights stance goes.
“Like most everybody on my side, we’re disappointed that Elise isn’t doing it,” he said. “I know that [Blakeman] is pro-choice, but to what degree is going to be important to a lot of us.”
Not everyone in the New York conservative movement is concerned about Blakeman’s abortion stance, and some feel it may even be advantageous. The New York GOP told the Washington Examiner they don’t have concerns about Blakeman’s abortion-rights stance, and they feel his views on abortion will “blunt” Democratic attacks.
“This will blunt one of Democrats’ favorite fear-mongering tactics and focus the election on what voters care about: Kathy Hochul’s record of making New York less affordable, less safe and less sane. Bruce Blakeman will win that debate and win the election,” New York GOP spokesman David Laska said.
A Long Island-based Republican strategist reflected some of that thought, suggesting that Blakeman’s abortion-rights stance can shield them against Democratic attacks.
“You have a lot of people in the party that are almost looking at it is as if the Democrats bring it up, it would just be purely fear mongering, like it’s not a reality,” the strategist told the Washington Examiner.
A New York Democratic Party aide pointed to Blakeman’s opposition to Proposition 1 in 2024 when asked about his abortion stance. Blakeman said the proposition was more about transgender athletes at the time.
“They want to be able to say, hey, you know what? If we want biological males to play against females, it says in the Constitution that they have that right,” he said then.
The Hochul campaign is confident that it will beat Blakeman, calling him “MAGA all the way.”
TRUMP QUICKLY ENDORSES BLAKEMAN FOR NEW YORK GOVERNOR AFTER STEFANIK BOWS OUT
“Donald Trump said it best: Bruce Blakeman is ‘MAGA all the way.’ He’s sold out Nassau and tied himself to Trump’s toxic agenda at every turn — backing policies that raise costs, gut healthcare, and undermine abortion rights,” Hochul Communications Director Sarafina Chitika told the Washington Examiner.
“New Yorkers don’t elect MAGA extremists that bow down to Trump and make their lives more expensive — which is why Backup Blakeman has lost every statewide race he’s ever run, just like he’ll lose next November,” she added.