Trump Rips Hochul’s ‘Radical Left’ Leadership, Predicts Bruce Blakeman Will Win New York Governor’s Race

President Donald Trump delivered an enthusiastic endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman on Friday, blasting Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and arguing that New Yorkers have an opportunity to reject the state’s left-wing policies in November.

Trump made the remarks during a visit to the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, where he appeared alongside Blakeman, Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel. The president was on Long Island to highlight falling national violent crime rates and praise Nassau County law enforcement.

Trump warned that New York cannot afford to continue moving further to the left, painting a grim picture of what happens when progressive policies on crime and immigration are allowed to take hold. He urged voters to elect Blakeman and predicted that the Nassau County executive has a genuine opportunity to capture the governor’s mansion.

The president specifically hammered Hochul over New York’s cashless bail policies and the state’s recently enacted sanctuary law restricting cooperation between local police departments and federal immigration authorities. Trump accused Democrats of siding with dangerous criminals instead of law-abiding New Yorkers.

“Hochul and the radical left stand with the gang members, child predators, violent felons,” Trump told the crowd. “We stand with hardworking New Yorkers.”

Trump expressed confidence that Blakeman can overcome New York’s longstanding Democratic advantage. He pointed to Hochul’s record and questioned how Republicans could possibly squander the opportunity, joking that Blakeman would be ashamed for the rest of his life if he managed to lose.

Recent polling suggests the contest could be competitive. A Siena College survey conducted in early August showed Hochul leading Blakeman 49% to 39% among likely voters, putting the Republican closer to the Democratic incumbent than GOP nominee Lee Zeldin was at roughly the same stage of the 2022 race. Zeldin ultimately lost to Hochul by approximately six points.

Blakeman used Trump’s appearance to tout Nassau County’s record on public safety and its cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He said the county maintains one of the country’s most comprehensive agreements with ICE and claimed authorities have removed approximately 2,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records over the past year.

Trump also praised Blakeman for hiring more than 700 police officers and received a massive response from the law enforcement-heavy crowd when he called for the death penalty for people who murder police officers. Introducing Blakeman, Trump described his longtime ally simply as “a winner.”

Hochul responded by highlighting statistics showing crime declining across New York. Her office pointed to reductions in shootings, murders and overall crime as evidence against Trump’s attacks on her public safety record.

But Trump made clear that he intends to put his political weight behind Blakeman heading into November. With Republicans hoping dissatisfaction over taxes, crime, immigration and the growing influence of democratic socialists can move suburban voters toward the GOP, Trump is betting that Blakeman can deliver an upset in one of America’s most reliably Democratic states.