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Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican whose county neighbors New York City, said that he is directing authorities to install cameras and security technology along the border with the city in light of the election of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Blakeman, who was just re-elected earlier this month to serve a second term in the majority blue county, said he will be taking extra precautions to preserve law and order in Nassau County in light of the socialist mayor-elect, Mamdani.
“We are doing everything necessary to make sure that Nassau County is safe,” he said. “We are installing technology along the border of New York City that will read license plates, that will have facial recognition, that will have video cameras.”
He also stated that the county is hiring new police officers in addition to its existing force and the 100 police cadets currently enrolled in the Nassau County Police Academy.
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“Our cops are doing a great job, and I’m going to continue to give them the personnel and the resources, technology and equipment and training that will now allow them to combat any situation that would jeopardize the security and safety of our communities here in Nassau County,” he said.
Meanwhile, Blakeman said Mamdani “talks like he’s pro-criminal, not pro-victim.”
While Republicans in Virginia, New Jersey and New York suffered electoral defeats earlier this month, Blakeman won his race by close to 12 percentage points. He beat out a Democrat in a county with over 100,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.
He attributes this victory to leaning into his messages on improving public safety and affordability, which he said resonates with all demographics. He did not even shy away from his condemnation of New York sanctuary policies and the county’s partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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“New York State was an area that was safe, and I think basically that’s what the people are craving,” he explained.
“I never ran away from my pro-Trump policies. I supported the president, and I continue to support the president. People respected me for that, even if they disagree, because they knew that I wasn’t a phony. And yet, at the same time, what I was doing on parallel tracks is reaching out to the communities … and let them know that I am a county executive for all people, so I’m going to continue to make their neighborhoods safer. I’m going to keep taxes down.”
“Our campaign appealed to the independent voters and crossover Democrats,” he explained. “That’s why I think we were a bright star on an otherwise dark night on election night.”
This law-and-order message stands in stark contrast with Mamdani’s history of comments calling the police racist, anti-queer and a public safety threat. Though Mamdani walked back those statements during his campaign, his proposal to replace law enforcement officers with mental health workers has raised concerns about a further deepening of crime in New York City.
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While New York swings to the left, Blakeman said his approach counters the momentum around Mamdani’s socialist policy proposals.
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“Right now, I see his values as anti-American,” he said. “So, I have a lot of issues with Mamdani.”
“We built the greatest economic city in the world, with the financial capital of the world being in New York City. His policies will probably destroy that,” he went on, adding that if people are leaving New York City, “They’re welcome to come to Nassau County, where it’s safe and affordable.”
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