Photo: Chuck Miller / Moment / Getty Images
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has selected Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino as his running mate in the race against incumbent New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
The pair is expected to make their first public appearance together Monday (February 10) ahead of the Republican Party's nominating convention in Garden City, according to sources who spoke to The New York Post.
Giardino brings an extensive law enforcement background to the ticket. He is believed to be the only person in New York state history who has served as an elected district attorney, a supreme court judge, and sheriff. His career also includes roles as a police officer, corrections officer, and 25 years as a volunteer firefighter.
"He's an excellent sheriff, well regarded statewide amongst other sheriffs as well as in the county," state Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar told The Post. Kassar noted that Giardino provides important geographic balance to the ticket, representing upstate interests while Blakeman, currently serving as Nassau County Executive, represents downstate.
The Republican all-male ticket will face the Democratic all-female ticket of Governor Hochul and her recently selected running mate, former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.
Giardino, born and raised in Fulton County, is known for his tough-on-crime policies and strong advocacy for gun rights. He has been critical of the Hochul administration's Concealed Carry Improvement Act, which restricted carrying firearms in sensitive locations.
"They didn't bring in the partners who could tell them how to actually make the system better. They just pushed through the most-egregious infringements on concealed carry they could fit into an expanded 'sensitive-places' exception," Giardino said in a 2023 interview with an NRA publication.
Crime in Fulton County has reportedly dropped since 2010, according to data from the state Division of Criminal Justice.
The Republican Party convention is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, with the formal nomination vote set for Wednesday morning. Blakeman is expected to easily secure the party's nomination.
The selection of Giardino continues a recent Republican strategy of including law enforcement officers on the ticket. In 2022, GOP gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin selected Alison Esposito, a retired NYPD deputy inspector, as his running mate.