Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman told Newsmax on Saturday that he respects Rep. Elise Stefanik's decision to drop out of the New York governor's race and step away from Congress, and positioned himself as the top GOP alternative to Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul.
"People don't realize that when you're in a public life, you live in a fishbowl," Blakeman said on Newsmax's "Saturday Report," adding that a statewide campaign is "24-seven from now until Election Day."
He said he views Stefanik as "an excellent, excellent public official" and predicted "she'll be back," while emphasizing that "spending more time with your family is something that I think is on a lot of minds of people."
Blakeman on Saturday also detailed his campaign and its stress on public safety, affordability, and opposition to New York's sanctuary policies.