New York Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman erupted in anger on Thursday, spilling a fight among New York MAGA out into the open.
Blakeman, the executive of Nassau County on Long Island, was given President Donald Trump’s endorsement after his actual preference for the seat, Upstate New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, dropped her own bid for governor. Ultimately, Blakeman lost so badly that he isn’t even on track to win his own county.
In a rant on X, Blakeman appeared to blame the shellacking the broader New York GOP got on Stefanik’s decision to give up.
“Elise Stefanik is a selfish, do nothing (sic) politician that didn’t lift a finger to help Republican candidates in New York this year. She had one moment of glory in what was otherwise an unremarkable career,” wrote Blakeman — presumably referring to either Stefanik’s high-profile tirade against the first Trump impeachment, or her stint as House Republican Conference Chair after MAGA leadership forced former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) out of the role.
But other Republicans in New York didn’t take this attack on Stefanik lying down — including Inna Vernikov, the Republican Whip of the New York City Council.
“Elise Stefanic [sic] was and is a star in the Republican Party,” wrote Vernikov on X. “You should have never primaried her. Nassau County ran a grift, pushed out a very competent & worthy candidate in Elise, and lied to voters and donors about your prospects via fake polling.”
“No elected Republican with half of a brain ever believed you had a shot of winning governor and beating Hochul,” she continued. “Nassau thought they were smarter than everyone else … At her young age, Elise did more for our country and party, and accomplished more for New York, especially for its Jewish community and college students, than you and the entire Nassau County boys’ club can ever imagine possible. She has got more intelligence, charisma, political acumen, courage and grit than all of you combined and you have some chutzpah to attack her after your failed grift of a campaign.”
Vernikov ended by calling Blakeman’s post “petty and childish” and adding, “Don’t be bitter. Reflect on your own missteps.”
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