Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has selected Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood as his running mate.
The announcement came less than a day after the Republican gubernatorial hopeful was rebuffed by Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino.
Hood has led the Central New York county sheriff’s department since 2018 and has a more than 30-year law enforcement career that includes serving as a longtime Syracuse Police Department detective.
Blakeman’s choice for a lieutenant governor candidate comes as the New York State Republican Convention is underway on Long Island, where the party is looking to unify around Blakeman.
In announcing Hood, Blakeman emphasized the importance of public safety, arguing that New York’s policies “put repeat offenders back on the street, drive businesses out of New York, and make families less safe.”
Recent Siena Research Institute polling showed Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul with a more than 25-point lead over Blakeman, who is running unopposed. The same survey found Hochul with a more than 50-point lead over Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who is waging a Democratic primary challenge against the incumbent governor.