Overview
- Bruce Blakeman, who filed a state-court lawsuit Wednesday in Albany County, asks a judge to reverse the Public Campaign Finance Board’s decision and names both that board and the State Board of Elections.
- The board voted 4–3 along party lines last week to bar him from the program because running mate Todd Hood did not submit a required joint filing adopted in December.
- Blakeman’s team argues the joint form does not exist and says his solo application should count, while board chair Barbara Lifton says the law is clear and leaves no room to bend the rules.
- If the ruling holds, he could forgo millions in aid, with reports pegging the loss as high as about $4.38 million under a system that matches the first $250 of small donations at a 6-to-1 rate once thresholds are met.
- With no Republican primary after Monday’s deadline, Blakeman can seek up to $3.5 million for the general election if he qualifies, and Gov. Kathy Hochul is skipping the program with roughly $21 million already banked.