President Donald Trump just threw his heavyweight support behind a new contender in the New York governor’s race!

The Daily Caller reported that in a whirlwind of political moves, Trump endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman as the Republican nominee just one day after Rep. Elise Stefanik bowed out of the contest.

Back in November 2025, Stefanik launched her campaign to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, quickly becoming the frontrunner with over 75% of county GOP chairs backing her.

A Siena College poll showed her leading Blakeman by a whopping 30 points in a hypothetical primary—talk about a commanding lead!

Yet, on Friday afternoon, she stunned supporters by suspending her campaign, prioritizing her young son and avoiding a messy primary battle.

Trump’s Silence Turns to Endorsement

While Stefanik was in the race, Trump kept mum on endorsements, despite her well-known loyalty to his cause, sparking whispers among party insiders.

Stefanik herself noted the inefficiency of a drawn-out fight, saying, “While we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York.”

Her words ring true—why waste energy on infighting when the real battle is against a progressive agenda that’s held New York in a stranglehold for over two decades?

Enter Bruce Blakeman, who tossed his hat into the ring on December 9, 2025, and secured Trump’s backing on Saturday, December 20, 2025.

Trump didn’t hold back, declaring, “Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning.”

That’s high praise from a man whose endorsements can shift political tides, though one wonders if even Trump’s clout can overcome New York’s deep blue tilt where Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one.

Can Blakeman Break the Blue Wall?

Blakeman’s camp is optimistic, pointing to his strong reelection as Nassau County executive this November as proof he’s got statewide potential.

Still, polls paint a tougher picture—Gov. Hochul leads him by 25 points in a hypothetical matchup, an even wider gap than the 19-point lead she held over Stefanik.

New York hasn’t seen a Republican governor in over 20 years, but if Blakeman can channel his local success and Trump’s fiery base, he might just make the Empire State’s left-leaning establishment sweat a little.