Blakeman, Langworthy barnstorm Southern Tier, hold  get-out-the-vote rally at Olean Elks

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

OLEAN — Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and Rep. Nick Langworthy led a Republican get-out-the-vote rally Wednesday at the Olean Elks Club attended by about 200 GOP faithful.

It was the second of two stops as Blakeman, Langworthy, State Sen. George Borrello and Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski barnstormed across the Southern Tier starting in Hornell and ending in Jamestown.

Blakeman, who trails in the sweepstakes for governor by double digits to Gov. KIathy Hochul may seem to be preaching to the choir at his Upstate rallies, but they are designed to encourage attendees to call their friends and neighbors to urge them to vote against Hochul.

The governor leads by a wide margin in the New York City area, but the race is about equal across Upstate counties.

The latest polling by the conservative New York Post puts Hochul ahead of Blakeman, the Nassau County executive 54% to 40%.

The Republican candidates checked all the conservative Republican boxes during their stump speeches.

Langworthy bemoaned that the state’s greatest export was its youth. “We deserve a governor who respects our way of life,” he said. The governor is also disrespectful of corrections officers, the congressman said.

“You’ve got to get out the vote,” Langworthy said before introducing Blakeman as New York’s next governor. 

Blakeman gave a shoutout to Olean Mayor Amy B. Sherburne and complimented her on the city’s character and appearance. “I will be back as governor,” he promised. 

“People say how miserable they are under Karthy Hochul,” Blakeman said. “She’s always got her hand in your pocket.” 

He said Hochul was “the most pro-criminal governor, and was also refusing to let police assist ICE in immigration enforcement. There are 1,000 National Guardsmen still patrolling state prisons after the governor fired 1,000 striking corrections officers last year.

The only way to change things, he said, is “to change the leadership,” Blakeman said. “When I become governor, we will re-hire those correction officers.”

The governor “has no moral compass anymore” and “has lost her Upstate values,” Blakeman said. The governor is wrong to oppose data centers, he said. 

Blakeman said he would also protect gun rights and lower utility bills, but did not specify how he would do it.

Hochul spent billions on immigrant housing and other expenses at the expense of veterans, Blakeman said.

With a nod to the culture wars, Blakeman said “In my county (sports) facilities, girls play with girls and boys play with boys.” He challenged Atty. Gen. Lititia James to charge him if he violated state law. 

In the U.S., there are very few young transgender men who play on girls sports teams. Most choose to play on sports teams matching their gender identity.
“We’ve got six days left in this election,” Blakeman said. “We’re energized.” He asked the audience to make a list of people and start calling them to ask them to vote.