Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman said he would work to block New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's policy agenda if elected as the state's top leader in November, calling proposals like government-run grocery stores and tax hikes damaging to New York's economy.

"First of all, let me be clear. I don't have to work with Zohran Mamdani. He has to work with me," Blakeman told Fox News Digital when asked about how he would approach the relationship if elected governor.

Blakeman is seeking to unseat incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul in November's gubernatorial election. The Republican argued that Mamdani's policies, including city-owned grocery stores, free bus service and rent freezes, would expand government at the expense of taxpayers and accelerate an exodus of businesses and residents from New York.

"When I become governor, I'm not going to let him destroy the fabric of New York City. I'm not going to let him destroy the economy of New York City, and I'm not going to let him make New York unsafe," Blakeman said. "Those are all things he's doing right now, and I will stop him."

What the Right Is Saying

Blakeman singled out Mamdani's proposal for city-owned grocery stores, arguing that government should not compete with private businesses, particularly family-owned operations.

"I don't want to compete with bodega owners and small grocery stores in New York. Government should not be competing with the private sector," Blakeman said. "Many of these businesses are family-owned businesses, and I don't want to hurt them."

Blakeman called the proposal "complete nonsense" and argued taxpayers would ultimately bear the cost.

"Somebody's got to pay for that," he said. "These are hardworking people. They've created the business, and Zohran Mamdani wants to take it away from them because he's a communist. He doesn't believe in property rights. He doesn't believe in capitalism."

Blakeman outlined his own agenda, which includes cutting taxes, reducing utility costs and encouraging businesses to remain in New York. He said he would sign an executive order on day one declaring New York is "no longer a sanctuary state" and pledged to implement what he described as the largest middle-class tax cut in state history.

He also said single filers making $50,000 or less and joint filers making up to $100,000 would pay no state income tax under his proposal. Blakeman additionally pledged to cut utility rates in half by ending what he called the state's "green energy scam."

"She takes money out of their payments every month to invest in science projects that cost billions of dollars," Blakeman said of Hochul. "That ends on day one when I become governor."

What the Left Is Saying

Kathy Hochul's campaign pushed back on Blakeman's characterization, arguing he is too aligned with far-right positions rather than mainstream New York values.

Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said in a statement: "New Yorkers know Bruce Blakeman is too busy catering to the far-right, embracing January 6 architects, and caving to Donald Trump to fight for them and their families."

Radulovacki continued: "From enabling ICE's abuses, to raising costs, to fighting to gut Medicaid, Blakeman's proud of being 'MAGA all the way,' just like Trump labelled him."

Progressive supporters of Mamdani have praised his proposals as addressing income inequality and making essential goods more accessible. The mayor has championed city-owned grocery stores as a way to combat food deserts in underserved communities.

Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on Blakeman's statements.

What the Numbers Show

Mamdani's rise has coincided with broader attention to socialist-leaning candidates in New York politics, with three socialist candidates winning races in Tuesday's New York primaries.

New York faces ongoing concerns about population and business outflow. The state has experienced demographic shifts as residents have moved to lower-cost states, a trend that economists have attributed partly to the state's tax burden and cost of living.

According to U.S. Census data, New York lost population in multiple years during the 2020s, with economic factors including housing costs and tax rates cited as contributing factors by demographers.

The state income tax structure includes rates reaching above 10% for high earners, which critics argue makes New York less competitive compared to states like Florida and Texas that have no state income tax.

Blakeman's proposed middle-class tax cut would represent a significant change to the state's revenue structure. The fiscal impact of such proposals would depend on implementation details not yet specified.

The Bottom Line

The exchange highlights the stark policy contrasts shaping New York's gubernatorial race, with Blakeman positioning himself as an opponent of Mamdani's progressive agenda at both the city and state level.

November's election will test whether voters in Democratic-leaning New York respond more to Blakeman's economic arguments against high taxes and government spending or to Hochul's characterization of his positions as aligned with far-right politics.

Blakeman still faces significant obstacles as a Republican in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a substantial margin. The outcome could depend on whether swing voters and disaffected Democrats are persuaded by his economic message, particularly around tax relief and cost-of-living concerns.