Trump Endorses NY Gubernatorial Candidate Bruce Blakeman After Rep. Elise Stefanik Drops Out

President Donald Trump endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to be the Republican nominee for New York governor Saturday, just one day after Rep. Elise Stefanik announced she was suspending her campaign.

Stefanik abruptly exited the race Friday afternoon, citing a desire to focus on raising her young son and to avoid a potentially contentious primary against Blakeman. Until her exit, Trump had declined to make an endorsement, despite the latest polls showing Stefanik as the clear Republican frontrunner.

“Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning,” Trump wrote Saturday evening on Truth Social. “Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Stefanik launched her campaign in November 2025 to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, while Blakeman — who first won the Nassau County executive seat in 2021 by defeating a Democratic incumbent — entered the race Dec. 9.