Bruce Blakeman declares victory in Nassau County executive race

Nassau County race heats up: Blakeman vs. Koslow

FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg breaks down the heated Nassau County executive race between Bruce Blakeman and Seth Koslow. The outcome could signal political shifts ahead of 2026.

LONG ISLAND - Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has won the Nassau County Executive race, defeating county Legislator Seth Koslow.

The race, which drew intense attention for its focus on taxes, safety and social policy, was seen as a bellwether for suburban political trends heading into 2026.

Who is Bruce Blakeman?

What we know:

Bruce Blakeman is the Republican incumbent serving as Nassau County Executive since 2022.

A lifelong Long Island resident, Blakeman has built his political career on promises of fiscal restraint and public safety. 

Before becoming county executive, he served in various roles, including as a member of the Hempstead Town Council and as presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature.

Blakeman often touts his record of keeping taxes low, even during inflationary periods and maintaining Nassau’s reputation as one of the safest counties in the country. 

"I haven’t raised taxes one penny in four years, even though we’ve had inflation that’s almost 20%," he said. 

His tenure, however, has also been marked by controversy, particularly over his proposal to ban transgender athletes from female sports leagues and his creation of a "special deputy" program, which critics have labeled a "militia."

Where the candidates stand

Dig deeper:

Blakeman defended his record, pointing to financial stability and public safety. "I haven’t raised taxes one penny in four years, even though we’ve had inflation that’s almost 20%," he said, adding that his administration has hired hundreds of law enforcement officers. "We are the safest county in America."

Koslow, however, contends those numbers don’t tell the whole story. "I want to audit the county and find out where our money is," he said, criticizing what he calls underfunded services.

The two also clash on broader issues, from control of Nassau University Medical Center and the future of the Nassau Coliseum to Blakeman’s push to bar transgender athletes from female-only sports leagues. "If you’re using county facilities and you advertise yourself as a female-only sports league, you had to adhere to that. You couldn’t allow biological males on the teams," Blakeman said. Koslow called for "change and [to] give people a voice again in government."

Political analysts say Nassau’s history of swinging away from the party in the White House could signal national trends. "You can see both candidates are trying to nationalize the race. How well one party or the other does will give [a preview of] where political things may be headed in 2026," one expert noted.

But the campaign hasn’t been without controversy. 

Blakeman has attacked a paper Koslow wrote in law school, calling it "sick and disgusting" and accusing him of "disturbing attitudes and opinions." 

Koslow dismissed the criticism as "politics and a blatant distraction," saying, "I don’t care that he’s lying about me. I expect that from him because he has nothing else to talk about."

Both candidates are counting on strong voter turnout when Nassau County residents head to the polls.