The gloves are off!
Gov. Kathy Hochul and her likely GOP election opponent Bruce Blakeman traded public barbs on his Long Island home turf Friday — as the two head full speed into what’s bound to be a heated election year.
Taking the stage first at the annual Long Island Association Breakfast was Blakeman, the Nassau County executive and President Trump ally — who quipped “a new governor” when asked by a moderator what he wanted for the new year.
“Here on Long Island, people are generally happy — but as I travel around the state, there are regions that aren’t very happy, they’re miserable — they feel that the state government has let them down,” Blakeman said.
He complained about Democrat Hochul’s management of the migrant crisis, criticizing both the state and New York City’s spending of upwards of $5 billion to handle the influx of new arrivals who arrived after illegally crossing the southern US border.
“When you see what’s going on in the city of New York, they’re basically in turmoil right now with an administration that is antithetical to the values that we have here on Long Island,” Blakeman added — taking a shot at new socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
As Blakeman walked off stage, he and Hochul were spotted by The Post shaking hands briefly as she walked on, clearly prepared to get in some licks of her own.
“I cut my teeth in local government. I have such respect for board members and supervisors and mayors — all the way on up to most county executives,” Hochul said, in a subtle swipe at her Republican foe.
“Hi Ed Romaine, how you doing out there?” she said right after, referring to the Republican Suffolk County executive, snubbing Blakeman to laughter from the crowd.
Hochul went on to brag about state investments in the Long Island Rail Road and Long Island MacArthur Airport.
She also blasted Trump for trying to kill the Sunrise and Empire wind energy projects off of Long Island’s coasts.
And Hochul also took the fight straight to Blakeman, openly ripping him over Nassau County’s coordination with federal immigration authorities and his program to deputize citizens, which she described as a “militia.”
The back-and-forth was actually somewhat tame compared to the same event two years ago when Blakeman told Hochul to “stay out of Long Island” just before she took the stage.
Hochul made a veiled threat to withhold funding from Blakeman in return at the time.
“You don’t want me to take all the money with me, though, right?” she said.
