Bruce Blakeman’s announcement that he is running for governor against fellow Republican Elise Stefanik caught many by surprise, not least of which was the White House.

Days before the Nassau County executive said he would challenge Stefanik, President Donald Trump called Blakeman to discourage him from running, according to three sources with knowledge of the conversation. Trump told Blakeman such a campaign would be a waste of time and resources because polling indicated Stefanik was the favorite to face Kathy Hochul in November.

On Tuesday morning, Blakeman announced he was running anyway, complicating what Stefanik believed would be a cakewalk to the nomination. The result leaves Trump with two of his allies running against each other in his home state. “He’s great, and she’s great,” Trump told reporters on Monday when asked........

© Daily Intelligencer