WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will endorse the Republican Nassau County executive for governor in next fall’s New York election, just a day after Rep. Elise Stefanik, a longtime ally of the president, announced she was suspending her candidacy.

The endorsement, while not unexpected, could help ensure that Bruce Blakeman, who leads the suburban Long Island county, does not face a serious contender in his bid to win the GOP primary and a shot at a likely showdown against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“Bruce is MAGA all the way and has been with me from the beginning,” Trump said in a post announcing the endorsement on his Truth Social platform.

Stefanik announced Friday that she will suspend her campaign for governor and will not seek re-election to Congress.

The race between Stefanik and Blakeman was expected to be competitive. Stefanik, in announcing her decision, said she wanted to avoid an “unnecessary and protracted Republican primary.”

Stefanik has been a staunch ally of Trump, who nominated her to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations only to withdraw it over concerns about a possible further erosion of the GOP’s slim majority in the House.

US President Donald Trump stands with Bruce Blakeman, Executive of Nassau County, New York, as he speaks to the media after arriving at Republic Airport on Air Force One on September 26, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump stands with Bruce Blakeman, Executive of Nassau County, New York, as he speaks to the media after arriving at Republic Airport on Air Force One on September 26, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images

Stefanik announced her decision just days after Blakeman formally announced his candidacy.

On Monday, Trump, amid reports that Blakeman would jump into the race, refused to take sides in the primary when asked about Blakeman and Stefanik, instead telling reporters: “He’s great and she’s great. They’re both great people.”

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, has drawn attention for defending a policy that prohibits transgender athletes from using county sports facilities. He also created a volunteer law enforcement unit that his critics have called a militia and ordered county detectives to work alongside federal authorities in Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Hochul’s campaign suggested that Trump’s embrace of Blakeman should discourage the state’s voters.

“Donald Trump endorsed Bruce Blakeman for a reason: He will put Trump first, New York last, and let families foot the bill,” said Hochul campaign communications director Sarafina Chitika.