Republican Bruce Blakeman is trying to attract a broader pool of voters — including disgruntled Democrats and independents — as he takes on incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The Nassau County executive has mounted an effort to run on a separate, independent “Vote Affordable” party line on the November ballot in his bid to topple Democrat Hochul.
The Blakeman campaign said 66,345 New Yorkers signed petitions to get the new line on the ballot for the general election.
To qualify for statewide ballot status, the campaign must collect 45,000 signatures from registered voters of any party affiliation. At least 500 voter signatures must come from at least half of the state’s congressional districts.
Blakeman is already running on the Republican and Conservative Party ballot lines.
The push to run on the Vote Affordable line is Blakeman’s attempt to broaden his support in his challenge against heavily favored Hochul in blue-leaning New York.
“The overwhelming support of over 60,000 New Yorkers who signed petitions for the Vote Affordable party demonstrates the grassroots movement to remove Hochul as governor,” Blakeman said.
“Hochul has made New York the most unaffordable state in America, and that changes on Day 1 when I’m elected,” he said.