Speaking to the Forward in 2022, Blakeman recalled a pointed message given to him by Rabbi Binyomin Kamenetzky, founder of the Yeshiva Toras Chaim of South Shore, whom he considered his spiritual mentor. “He said, ‘Bruce, you’re Orthodox, but you have to try harder.’ So I have tried harder. I’m certainly at a higher level than I used to be. I’m not where I need to be yet, but I’m working on it, and it’s an important part of my life.”

Can you tell us about your relationship with Rabbi Binyomin Kamenetzky?

Rabbi Kamenetzky of blessed memory was a pioneer for the Long Island Orthodox Jewish community and a dear friend. He built and supported institutions that brought Orthodox Judaism to Nassau County. My father was a close friend, helping Rabbi Kamenetzky build the Young Israel of Woodmere and Yeshiva of South Shore. I’ve continued that relationship with him and the whole Kamenetzky family afterward, especially his son Mordechai. We were very close, I was with Rabbi Kamenetzky days before he passed.

Blakeman’s father, Assemblyman Robert M. Blakeman, was a legislator, World War II merchant mariner and Naval Reserve officer; his mother, Betty, served in the Women’s Army Corps; and his brother, Brad Blakeman, was a staffer for President George W. Bush.

You mentioned your father. As an elected official, was he one of your role models in this field?

Both my parents were role models of public service. They were World War II veterans, very patriotic and believed in public service. They inspired me to be involved in public life.

I also lost a nephew on 9/11. I was a Port Authority commissioner, and my nephew, Tommy Jurgens, was a court officer, an army veteran, and a volunteer firefighter. He was helping evacuate Tower Two and was in the lobby of the building giving medical assistance to a severely burned woman when it collapsed on him. The fire and heat were so intense that it just disintegrated a lot of people. We never found a trace of him — not even any DNA, just his shield and sidearm. He was a real hero and he saved many lives that day, and it was a big tragedy.

The primary issue for Jews in New York continues to be anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic violence, with over 50% of hate crimes in the city for the past several years committed against Jews. Tensions are still simmering in Israel, and international attacks like Bondi Beach perennially push the precariousness of our position to painful prominence.

The dangerous rhetoric of incoming New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani adds foreboding about the state of Jews in the city. But much of Mamdani’s agenda requires buy-in from the state and governor. Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani and was wounded by his lack of reciprocation. If Blakeman wins, it would put the mayor’s agenda at the mercy of one very proud Jew.

You are running for governor of New York State. How would that role put you in a position to help the Jewish People in the state and abroad?

I will be a governor for all the people of the state of New York and all people will be my constituents, no matter what their race, religion, ethnicity, abilities, or lifestyle. I take that very seriously. With respect to the Jewish People, I am a Zionist and a warrior against anti-Semitism. As governor, I will continue to be a Zionist and I will fight anti-Semitism to my last breath.

How would you handle your relationship with the mayor of New York City? What dynamic will we see between Zohran Mamdani and an AOB?

I’m very concerned and troubled by Mayor-elect Mamdani’s rhetoric, recent actions, and the composition of his transition team, 20 percent of which are anti-Semites. The fact that he’s a socialist atop the financial capital of the world is also very troubling.

I will say this: If there is the possibility to find common ground, I will try to do that. But if he does not enforce the law, if criminal activity is rampant, I as governor will stop it. If he tries to destroy the economy of New York City, I as governor will stop it. Ultimately it will be up to him, how he behaves and how he acts as mayor.

What is your assessment of the rising anti-Semitism on the political right?

It’s important to distinguish between two types of anti-Semitism: the one based on ignorance and the one that is intentional hate. There are some people who are anti-Semitic because they’re just ignorant. They don’t know about the Jewish People, they don’t understand what our religion is about and what we stand for, they’re ignorant about the Holocaust, they’re ignorant about Israel. That’s a more benign form of anti-Semitism.

Hatred is much more serious. There are people who hate Israel and hate Jews. Real anti-Semitism today is basically a left-wing Democrat issue rather than a Republican issue. We have some people in the Republican Party, very few, who espouse anti-Semitic views, anti-Israel views, but they are a tiny minority. In contrast, over 40% of the Democratic Party is now anti-Israel, and they are not as interested in protecting Jews and fighting anti-Semitism. The bigger problem is from the left — not to say there’s no problem on the right — but it’s far smaller.

Does it concern you when Vice President J.D. Vance refuses to criticize Tucker Carlson for hosting Nick Fuentes?

I don’t know that that’s accurate. The vice president doesn’t like Nick Fuentes, he’s made that very clear. I have been very vocal in my opinion of Nick Fuentes, I think he’s a nut, I think he’s dangerous, I think he’s an anti-Semite, and he has no place in our party. I would not criticize J.D. Vance on that because I believe that he doesn’t agree with the issues or the rhetoric of Nick Fuentes.

What are your top three priorities for the state?

First, affordability. I have created prosperity in my county and people there now have more money. Second, safety — I have the safest county in America, even though we are on the border of New York City and have a population larger than eight states. Third, tax cuts. We are the most heavily taxed state in the country, and it is a tremendous burden on the middle class. Even when you’re taxing rich people or big corporations, it always comes down to the middle class, who end up paying the bill.

We will do everything possible to cut taxes, make the state more affordable, and make sure that communities are safe and secure. As I’ve done here in Nassau County, hiring 600 new law enforcement officials — 400 police officers, 200 corrections officers, probation officers, and deputy sheriffs.

New Yorkers will be safer, more prosperous, and happier. Right now, people in New York state are miserable under Kathy Hochul’s lack of leadership.

There are more than twice as many registered Democrats as Republican voters in New York state — 5.8 million to 2.8 million. Only one Republican, George Pataki, has served as governor in the last 50 years, and he last won in 2002. Lee Zeldin came within striking distance of Hochul in 2022, losing by 6.4% (378,134 votes). It was Hochul’s first real race; she first ascended to the governorship when Andrew Cuomo resigned in 2021, and her popularity has steadily evaporated ever since. Her current approval rating sits at 42%, but she still leads Democratic challenger Antonio Delgado by a margin of 56% to 13%.

The state swung 12% to the right in 2024, but the path to victory for the GOP — if there is one — is still slim. In a Siena poll conducted just before Stefanik exited the race, Hochul held a 19-point lead over Stefanik, with one in five voters undecided, and had a larger 25-point lead over Blakeman in a head-to-head.

“Hochul has the support of more than three-quarters of Democrats against either Republican,” Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said. “Blakeman’s lead is 73% to 7% among Republicans. With independents, Hochul leads Blakeman by 10 points.”

Going from county executive to governor is hardly a traditional pathway. Why should voters be convinced that your accomplishments thus far have adequately prepared you for the job?

My current role as Nassau County executive is basically a governorship. I’m the “governor” of a county that has 1.5 million people, more than eight states. During my tenure, Nassau County has seen great success. We’re the safest county in America, I haven’t raised taxes even one penny in four years, and we are prosperous; Nassau has the lowest poverty rate in the state, although our demographics are almost identical to the rest of the state.

I’ve also shown that I can win as a Republican in a heavily Democratic district. There are 110,000 more Democrats registered in Nassau County than Republicans, and I won in a landslide. I put forth my record as an example of what I can do. Compare it to Kathy Hochul’s failed and miserable record, contrast my leadership of a large organization with a budget of over $4.3 billion against her lack of leadership.

Blakeman eked out a narrow victory in the 2021 election for Nassau County executive, winning by 2,146 votes out of 283,000 ballots cast — or 50.35% of the vote, compared to incumbent Laura Curran’s 49.59%. But he turned the tables strongly in 2025, soundly beating his Democrat challenger by 35,309 votes, or an 11% margin.

“You’re always more likely to lose than win as a Republican in New York, but I think he’s going to be our strongest statewide candidate since George Pataki,” Republican operative Chapin Fay told Politico. “He’s winning in a blue area, and he’s sort of MAGA without a lot of the baggage.”

Is there any specific region or message that defines your pathway to victory?

I want to replicate what I did in Nassau County, which is the demographic mirror image of the state of New York. People voted for me because they believe in my policies. They trust me, and they know that my whole motivation is to make their lives better. I won with a majority of nearly 36,000 votes, which is very meaningful to me because it’s double chai.

As I travel around the state, I hear over and over again that people in New York are basically miserable with Kathy Hochul. We’re the most overtaxed, overregulated state in America. They are very unhappy that she endorsed Zohran Mamdani, who’s a communist and a virulent anti-Semite, and they’re looking for new leadership, someone who has experience in running a large governmental organization.

I have all the credentials, qualifications, and experience to provide that leadership to make people happy in New York state. That’s what I intend to do, by keeping communities safe, creating economic prosperity, making life affordable, and creating a state in which people are proud to be residents and are not looking for other places to relocate because Kathy Hochul has failed them in every major category.

If you are elected, you’re going to have to work with a heavily Democrat legislature. What’s your plan for that?

A lot of Democrats and independent voters voted for me because I build bridges. I have the ability to meet with people and resolve our issues, finding common ground and solving problems even if we may not agree on some things. I know that we’ll have to bargain and negotiate with a Democrat legislature; but as long as we all have the good of people of New York state as our primary concern, I will be able to find common ground with the Democratic leaders on a lot of things, especially on the budget.

Draconian state guidelines aimed at forcing private schools (read: yeshivos) to reform their approach to secular education were a major campaign issue for the community in 2022. Although the New York State Education Department (NYSED) is not under the direct control of the governor — but rather an independent, heavily left-leaning Board of Regents — there’s a lot a governor can do.

Republican Lee Zeldin was widely seen as the savior on the topic. Hochul (with the endorsement of some Satmar communities) won and came through, delaying compliance until 2032 and watering down the requirements through backdoor budget deals.

Still, education remains a sore point for the frum kehillah in the state — of particular importance are the tuition relief tax credits passed by Congress this year. Governors must opt in for their state, and while nearly all Republican governors have indicated they will opt in when the time comes, most Democrats — pressured by public school teachers’ unions — have not. It is widely assumed many will opt out. New Jersey missed its chance when it elected Mikie Sherrill over Jack Ciattarelli. What will New York do?

Do you support school choice — vouchers or tax credits for private and religious schools? Will you opt in to tax credits provided for tuition relief under the OBBBA?

I’m a strong believer in school choice. While I support the public school system and see tremendous value in improving our public schools, I also think that there has to be choice for parents who want their children to be in a private school or a school with a religious setting. I have supported in the past and will continue to support things like tax credits and school vouchers for parents who choose to put their kids in a religious school. I will be very vocal in my support for giving people alternatives for educating their children. Under my leadership, New York state will opt in to the OBBBA tax credits.

Funding for special services for private school students — from speech therapy to OT, PT, shadows, and beyond — are a major issue in New York, with pay rates for therapists traditionally low and agencies forced to endure a lengthy hearing process for approvals.

Would you ensure adequate funding for special education in private schools in the state —and city?

I have a warm spot in my heart for kids who have specialized needs. I love those children as much or more than any other children. You will find me to be the best friend of special education in the United States.

When your party is outnumbered like the Chashmonaim — or like Republicans in New York — the last thing you can afford is an internal primary fight. Congressman Mike Lawler toyed with a run, but stayed out. Rep. Elise Stefanik launched her campaign for governor on November 7, followed by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman a month later, on December 9.

Speaking to the press afterward, President Trump noted that both were “good friends” and that he would hate to see them do battle in a primary. Republican state chair Ed Cox expressed distaste for the idea as well.

Ten days after Blakeman jumped in, Stefanik bowed out, suspending her campaign on December 19 and announcing she would not run for reelection to Congress, either. Stefanik had built a brand as a fighter for Jews and Israel, but she may have realized that even she couldn’t compete with Blakeman’s schmaltz cred.

Are you aware of any influence President Trump or others exerted to get Elise Stefanik to drop out? Did you face any pressure not to run?

I have no knowledge of what her thought process was in dropping out of the race. I think we have to take her at her word that she reflected on what the coming year would be like, and she recognized that it would be grueling, very tough on herself and her young child.

She is young, very bright, very articulate, and she is a good legislator. I think she knows that there is a future for her, and that future is bright. At this time, I think we have to take her at her word that it was all about family and raising her child. I completely understand and respect that.

There was no pressure on me not to run.

With Stefanik out of the race, Trump quickly endorsed Blakeman, calling him “MAGA all the way.” The Nassau chief has a close relationship with the president — Fragin tells Mishpacha that the two speak at least once a week. On the day of our interview, between meeting with President Zelensky of Ukraine, talking to Vladimir Putin of Russia, and a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, the president met with Blakeman.

Blakeman was famously seen on national news holding an umbrella for Trump as he spoke at a memorial for NYPD officer Jonathan Diller in March. He took heat for it on social media, being cast as a shill for the Donald, but later told the press that he saw no shame in the gesture. Trump had been holding the umbrella and invited him under it, and he had offered to do the honors for the two of them.

Ties to a sitting president are always a double-edged sword during a midterm campaign, which traditionally swings away from the Man in the House. The dynamic is amplified in a heavily Democratic electorate like New York. But Blakeman is not shying away from it.

Can you tell me about your relationship with President Trump, and about your meeting today?

Our meeting today was a general discussion about politics, touching on various issues. It was very enlightening, and I was privileged to have the opportunity to talk to him.

President Trump has done an outstanding job in the last 11 months. His leadership has been extraordinary, and I have been a vocal and staunch supporter of President Trump. I will continue to do that, because I think he is the right man at the right time to save America.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1093)