By Hank Russell
New York State Democrats scoffed at Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s accusation that their party is “trying to steal the election” this upcoming November. This comes after a new poll shows Blakeman within striking distance of Governor Kathy Hochul.
During a recent appearance on Fox Business News, Blakeman told host Maria Bartiromo that “we have enough money set aside for ballot security” and “thousands of volunteers that there are no dirty tricks, that [the Democrats] will try to steal the election.”
Allegations of Democrats stealing the election were highlighted last year. As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, a state appeals court overturned a state Supreme Court decision over the Even Year Election Law. The law moves all elections for county and town races, with some exceptions, from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years statewide. (The changes, however, do not affect the New York City elections.)
Opponents of the law brought their challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court, which decided in March not to hear the challenge.
Those who supported the law said it is a celebration of the democratic process, while others believed it strips local governments of control over their own elections.
New York State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs called Blakeman’s accusations baseless.
“Bruce Blakeman’s latest assertion that Democrats ‘will try to steal the election’ is just another example of his inability to face the reality that his campaign is failing,” he said. “Before the votes have even been cast, he is already acting like a sore loser. We are not cheaters and we are not thieves.”
Blakeman said in response, “Kathy Hochul already tried to illegally block my campaign from receiving matching funds, and just this weekend her team tried to block me from speaking at New York City’s Dominican Day Parade — it’s clear she’ll stop at nothing to silence my message of affordability and safety.”
In other news, the race between Blakeman and Hochul has gotten more interesting. The New York Post reported that Blakeman now only trails Hochul by four percentage points in a poll conducted by Red Oak Strategic for a Republican super PAC. Forty-seven percent said they would vote for Hochul, while 43% would support Blakeman.
“I’m not your typical Republican,” Blakeman told Bartiromo. “I’m a street fighter. I’m going to get into the game, get in the fight. I’m going to go into every neighborhood and make sure we have a fair election and I’m going to win this election because the people are on my side.”
But Jacobs is confident that Hochul can win. “Governor Kathy Hochul is a winner and there is no doubt in my mind that the margin of victory we are heading toward in November will alleviate any concerns of election interference.”