Blakeman vs Koslow: What to know about the heated Long Island 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 - With much of the attention on New York City’s mayoral race, voters on Long Island are also preparing for a major local contest, the Nassau County executive race between Republican incumbent Bruce Blakeman and Democratic challenger Seth Koslow. 

The two candidates are sparring over taxes, safety, and the future of county policies.

Who is Bruce Blakeman?

FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: U.S. President Donald Trump is greeted by Bruce Blakeman, County Executive of Nassau County, New York, after arriving at the Republic Airport on Air Force One on September 26, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. Trump

Expand

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.

Mineola, N.Y.: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announces new ICE enforcement measures at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive building on February 4, 2025 in Mineola, New York. (Photo by Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

Expand

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."

Who is Seth Koslow?

Westbury, N.Y.: Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow speaks during his Campaign Kickoff event in Westbury, New York on January 8, 2025. Koslow, a Democrat, is launching his campaign to run against Bruce Blakeman for the Nassau County Executive seat.

Expand

Seth Koslow is the Democratic challenger seeking to unseat Blakeman. 

A lawyer, youth coach, and former legislator, Koslow is positioning himself as a candidate focused on affordability, transparency, and accountability in county government. He has framed his campaign around the struggles of working families and the need to reassess how Nassau County manages its finances.

Seth Koslow is a dad, coach, legislator, and now the Democratic candidate stepping up to the plate against Blakeman.

What they're saying:

Koslow says the cost of living has soared under Blakeman’s leadership, arguing, "For as long as I’ve lived here, I’ve never understood why it’s so expensive and where our money goes."

Where the candidates stand

Challenge to transgender athlete policy

Four CT women went to a New York courtroom on Tuesday to challenge a school policy that allows transgender athletes to compete based on their gender identity, rather than their biological sex. FOX 5 NY's Ashlie Rodriguez has the details.

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."

Big picture view:

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.