Overview
- The Public Campaign Finance Board, which voted Tuesday 4–3 along party lines, ruled Bruce Blakeman ineligible for taxpayer matching funds.
- Officials said his application lacked the required joint certification naming running mate Todd Hood under a new rule tied to a 2025 law merging governor and lieutenant governor tickets.
- Blakeman retained attorney Adam Fusco and said he will sue to overturn the decision.
- Good-government groups including Reinvent Albany, the Brennan Center, and Citizens Union argued the board should have allowed a short window to fix filing errors.
- The ruling could cost Blakeman $3.5 million for a primary and another $3.5 million for the general election, while Gov. Kathy Hochul is skipping the program and reports roughly $20 million on hand.