Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate for governor of New York, will appear Friday night at the Metropolitan Republican Club's annual gala alongside Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, a House Republican who has led the effort in Washington to "denaturalize" and "deport" New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Blakeman will deliver the gala's keynote speech, while Ogles will be honored with the club's Ronald Reagan Award for the Advancement of Individual Liberty. The event also lists former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Council Member Vickie Paladino and former Nassau County Bridge Authority Commissioner Emily Austin among featured attendees. Tickets start at $321.

The appearance places Blakeman, who has positioned himself as a mainstream Republican in a blue state, alongside a lawmaker whose rhetoric on immigration and Muslims has drawn national attention.

What the Right Is Saying

Supporters of Blakeman's gubernatorial campaign argue that appearing at a Republican Club gala is standard political practice and does not endorse every statement made by other attendees.

The Metropolitan Republican Club is often seen as the more mainstream counterpart to the city's far-right New York Young Republican Club. The statewide New York State Young Republicans disbanded last year after Politico uncovered racist, homophobic and antisemitic chats involving members.

Ogles has faced his own political challenges. He faces a potential primary challenge in his deep-red Tennessee district, and federal authorities are reportedly investigating him for potential campaign finance violations.

Blakeman's team declined to comment on Ogles' past statements or the gubernatorial candidate's upcoming appearance with the House member. Ogles did not respond to a request for comment.

On Friday, Blakeman will deliver the keynote speech at an event that also features former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Council Member Vickie Paladino, both of whom have been prominent figures in New York Republican politics.

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive Democrats and Muslim community leaders criticized Blakeman's decision to share a stage with Ogles, arguing it signals a shift in the candidate's approach as he seeks to appeal to a broader Republican primary electorate.

Husein Yatabarry, executive director of the Muslim Community Network, told Politico that remarks like Ogles' can have a "huge impact" on the state's roughly 1.7 million Muslim residents as they consider whether to engage in state politics.

"It's sad to see that a lot of politicians are leaning into xenophobia and Islamaphobia and not looking at Muslims as part of their community's fabric, but looking at Muslims as a way to get the most rude and heinous people behind you as a candidate," Yatabarry said.

Democrats have also pointed to Blakeman's previous moderate positions on Muslim community engagement, noting the contrast with his current political positioning. Blakeman has previously eaten at Ramadan Iftar dinners and appointed the first Muslim chaplain to Nassau County's police force.

What the Numbers Show

New York's Muslim population stands at approximately 1.7 million residents, representing one of the largest Muslim communities in the United States.

Blakeman easily won reelection last year as Nassau County executive, a performance he often cites when discussing his electability in a statewide race.

Ogles wrote a letter to the Department of Justice in October asking for Mamdani to be denaturalized. Federal authorities are also reportedly investigating Ogles for potential campaign finance violations.

The Metropolitan Republican Club's annual gala tickets start at $321 per person. The event represents one of the prominent Republican gatherings in New York City politics.

The Bottom Line

Blakeman's appearance with Ogles illustrates the tension moderate Republicans face as they seek statewide office in New York while appealing to a party base that has embraced harder-line positions on immigration and Muslim communities.

The event comes after Blakeman was the keynote speaker at an event honoring John Eastman, an attorney disbarred in California for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. His running mate, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, also spoke at an event led by a man who called Mamdani "vermin."

What to watch: How Blakeman navigates questions about these associations as the governor's race progresses, and whether Muslim voters in New York — a key swing constituency in certain districts — shift their engagement with state politics in response.

The Metropolitan Republican Club gala takes place Friday night in New York City.