New York Republicans Clash After Hochul’s Election Victory
On November 5, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman blamed Rep. Elise Stefanik for not helping New York Republicans in the election, escalating a public dispute between the two former rivals for the party’s gubernatorial nomination. Blakeman lost to Gov. Kathy Hochul by nearly 20 percentage points. The vote count stood at 59.1% for Hochul and 39.69% for Blakeman. She also held a slim lead in Nassau County, the area Blakeman has headed since 2022.
Blakeman called Stefanik a “selfish, do-nothing politician” in a post on X and described her career as unremarkable. Stefanik answered that she had won all seven of her elections and said she voted for Blakeman and the Republican ticket. She also said she had helped secure more than $100 million for Republican campaigns during the preceding decade.
The dispute followed Stefanik’s call for a major overhaul of the state party. In a Wednesday interview, she described Blakeman’s campaign as low energy and said the party structure needed to be rebuilt. She had entered the race to challenge Hochul in 2025, then withdrew on December 19, citing the cost of a prolonged primary and a desire to focus on family life. President Donald Trump endorsed Blakeman the next day. Stefanik did not campaign for him or attend his campaign events.
Republican Anthony Constantino, who said he had won the contest to replace Stefanik in Congress, also criticized Blakeman and called for state GOP Chair Ed Cox to be removed. Blakeman responded by attacking Constantino’s candidacy and claiming he had helped him win. Stefanik urged Republicans to work together as they rebuild support after the losses.
New York GOP’s Defeat Exposes Need for a Party Reset
New York Republicans’ election defeat has brought a party already struggling to unite into open conflict. On November 5, Rep. Elise Stefanik called for a fundamental rebuild of the state party after Gov. Kathy Hochul beat Republican Bruce Blakeman by nearly 20 percentage points, while Blakeman blamed Stefanik for not helping GOP candidates.
Stefanik described the party apparatus as broken and said it needed to be rebuilt from scratch. The vote count put Hochul at 59.1% and Blakeman at 39.69%. Hochul also held a slim edge in Nassau County, Blakeman’s home base and the county he has led since 2022. In 2022, Republican Lee Zeldin carried Nassau and Suffolk counties despite losing statewide to Hochul.
Blakeman attacked Stefanik on X, calling her selfish and accusing her of failing to help Republicans. Stefanik replied that she had won all seven of her elections, voted for Blakeman and the Republican ticket, and helped bring in over $100 million for Republican campaigns during the prior decade. She urged party members to take part in rebuilding support.
Stefanik had sought the Republican gubernatorial nomination before withdrawing in December 2025. Trump endorsed Blakeman the next day; Stefanik stayed out of his campaign. Republican Anthony Constantino, who said he had won the contest to replace her in Congress, also criticized Blakeman and demanded state GOP Chair Ed Cox’s removal. The party now faces calls for a leadership and organizational overhaul as it reckons with the losses.
New York Republicans Need Unity, Not More Infighting
With New York Republicans reeling from a nearly 20-point loss to Gov. Kathy Hochul, party figures are turning on one another instead of presenting a united response. On November 5, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman accused Rep. Elise Stefanik of failing to support Republicans, and Stefanik answered by citing her own record and calling for a party reset.
The vote tally gave Hochul 59.1% and Blakeman 39.69%. Hochul also had a narrow advantage in Nassau County, the county Blakeman has led since 2022. The result marked a sharp reversal from 2022, when Republican Lee Zeldin carried Nassau and Suffolk counties even as he lost statewide to Hochul.
Blakeman called Stefanik selfish and said she had not lifted a finger for Republican candidates. Stefanik said she voted for Blakeman and the Republican ticket, had won all seven of her elections, and had helped bring in more than $100 million for GOP candidates in the prior decade. She urged Republicans to work together after the defeat.
Stefanik had withdrawn from the gubernatorial contest in December 2025 after Blakeman entered the race, saying a prolonged primary would waste campaign resources and citing family priorities. Trump endorsed Blakeman the following day. Stefanik did not campaign for him. Republican congressional candidate Anthony Constantino joined the criticism of Blakeman and called for state GOP Chair Ed Cox to be fired. The bitter exchange underscores the party’s challenge: rebuild support while its own leaders argue over blame and direction.
Reported by New York Post, amNY.
