On Monday, Democratic lawmakers and LGBTQ advocates gathered on the sidewalk outside the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in Greenwich Village, using the iconic hub as a backdrop to slam Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for campaigning with figures they described as openly anti-LGBTQ.
They argued that Blakeman’s alliances are not random photo ops but a pattern with real stakes for New Yorkers’ rights and safety, citing his public appearances with a roster of conservative lawmakers and activists. As reported by amNewYork, dozens of protesters held signs and delivered speeches at the Center, with state lawmakers urging voters to factor those associations into their decisions as the governor’s race heats up.
Shared Stages And Controversial Partners
From the mic, Democratic officials walked through what they called a highlight reel of who Blakeman has chosen to stand beside.
They pointed to Florida Rep. Randy Fine, who helped advance a proposal to bar Pride flags and other ideological flags from government buildings, as the kind of ally that sets off alarms for LGBTQ New Yorkers, according to The Guardian.
Speakers also noted Blakeman’s recent appearances at GOP events with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a national figure closely associated with high-profile education and book policies that critics describe as anti-LGBTQ, as covered by City & State.
They cited a 2024 episode that drew national attention: Caitlyn Jenner joined Blakeman at a Mineola press conference backing a county restriction on transgender participation in girls’ sports, as reported by the Associated Press.
Critics also highlighted Blakeman’s campaign stops with Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, who faced bipartisan criticism after a deleted social media post that said “homosexuality has no place in America,” according to The Washington Post. For Democrats at the rally, that lineup spoke volumes.
Democrats Say The Company He Keeps Signals Policy Risk
Inside the bullhorn speeches was a clear argument: to these lawmakers, the issue is not just optics, it is policy.
State Rep. Deborah Glick and others told the crowd that Blakeman’s frequent stage-mates suggest policy positions that are out of step with New York’s legal protections for LGBTQ residents. They warned that for people who rely on those protections, the alliances are a red flag, not a side note.
Rep. Ritchie Torres and other Democrats accused Blakeman of embracing what Torres called “the politics of hate,” a critique detailed in local reporting by amNewYork. Advocacy groups at the event framed the stakes in national terms, pointing to efforts around the country to curb LGBTQ visibility and legal protections and warning that similar rollbacks could threaten core rights.
Protesters also called attention to Long Island Loud Majority, a Long Island activist group linked to some of the alliances Democrats were criticizing. They noted that the organization has been listed in national monitoring of antigovernment groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center’s tracking of antigovernment organizations includes an entry on Long Island Loud Majority, and, per its reporting, the group has been involved in local conservative organizing that critics say targets LGBTQ topics. The SPLC has documented the group’s inclusion in its antigovernment listings.
Legal And Policy Background
For Democrats, the controversy over transgender participation in sports is where rhetoric has already crossed into real-world policy.
In 2024, Blakeman issued an executive order that restricted transgender girls and women from using certain county athletic facilities. The order was quickly challenged in court, and a judge later ruled that the county executive had exceeded his authority in issuing it, a decision noted in national coverage by the Associated Press. That legal fight has become a centerpiece of Democrats’ argument that Blakeman’s alliances with national figures who back anti-LGBTQ measures are not just symbolic.
Blakeman has pushed back on that framing. In interviews and public statements, he has said he would protect New Yorkers of all races, religions and lifestyles and has repeatedly stated that he would not seek to change New York’s same-sex marriage law, according to reporting by The Advocate. His campaign has tried to steer the conversation toward issues like cost of living and public safety, arguing that voters are more focused on kitchen-table concerns than on who appears at his rallies.
Democratic leaders made clear in Greenwich Village that Monday’s protest was not a one-off. As City & State reported in April, state Democrats are launching a broader, sustained effort to spotlight Blakeman’s alliances and to convince voters that those relationships should matter at the ballot box this fall.
