ROBERT HORNAK
FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE QUEENS REPUBLICAN PARTY
RAHORNAK@GMAIL.COM
Robert Hornak is a veteran political consultant who previously served as deputy director of the Republican assembly leader’s NYC office and as executive director of the Queens Republican Party. He can be reached at rahornak@gmail.com and @roberthornak on X.
California politicians have a great ability to turn a memorable phrase. Perhaps the one most often referenced is “Money is the mother’s milk of politics” and even while the person who first spoke it is relatively unmemorable, this phrase, uttered in 1966 by Jesse Unruh, then the Speaker of the California State Assembly, has become both one of the most memorable and prophetic.
It is true that campaigns do not run without money. Successful campaigns require many ingredients, but money is both a critical resource and a measure of the campaign and the candidate. In the final analysis, no matter how smart or likeable a candidate, if he or she can’t raise money they are not a viable candidate.
Money is now what might undermine the race for NY Governor. Due to a paperwork filing issue, the NYS Public Campaign Finance Board is considering declaring Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman ineligible for state matching funds. According to the regulations of the brand new matching funds program, “Participating candidates running jointly for Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall have one authorized committee. Such authorized committee shall be controlled by the candidate for Governor.
In other words, because they run as a team they are considered one entity for fundraising purposes and only eligible for one payout of matching funds. The regulations also stipulate that by Feb 23, 2026, the candidates “shall jointly submit an application/certification prescribed by the PCFB. Such application/certification shall be jointly filed by the deadline.”
And here is the technicality that could sink the campaign before it really begins.
Blakeman filed his certification when he first announced his candidacy. His running mate, upstate Sheriff Todd Hood, wasn’t picked to run until the beginning of the State Convention in early February. This was just before the (extremely early) filing deadline that same month, and the certification was apparently not amended to add Hood.
By comparison, the NYC matching funds program requires candidates to certify in May, a much more sensible deadline. Nothing has really happened by late February in any election cycle except the state conventions to nominate statewide candidates.
But the petition process had not even begun yet, which first starts for major party candidates at the end of February and is months away for independent candidates. Candidates can declare to run well after Feb
23, but they will be excluded from eligibility for public matching funds. This is one of the most curious aspects of the program, as it clearly benefits incumbents and other political insiders.
It seems the question now is will the PCFB rule that the campaign certified in a timely manor and can still amend its filing to include the later addition of Hood. There is no reason for them to decide otherwise, IF the PCFB wants to be seen as a fair, non-partisan operation that wants this program widely used and respected like the NYC program.
After all, Gov. Hochul is sitting on a war chest of over $20 million. Meanwhile, Blakeman is off to a slow start fundraising with just over $3 million raised so far, but of which only about $1 million raised from individual donors that would qualify for the match. The other $2 million was from committee transfers, including from the Nassau GOP, and not matchable. Ultimately, Blakeman can only receive a maximum of $3.5 million in matching funds.
Prediction outlets The Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and Race to the WH all rate this race as Solid Democrat and the poll aggregate has Hochul up by almost 18 points 51-33. The question for Hochul and her allies in Albany really is, this is democracy, so what are you afraid of?
Jesse Unruh less famously said “If you can’t eat their food, drink their booze, screw their women and then vote against them you’ve got no business being up here” talking about legislators dealing with lobbyists. But it could be just as good advice for the PCFB board members appointed by Hochul and the Democratic leadership.
