Donald Trump wrong about rarity of Republicans winning in Nassau County, NY
PolitiFact – Rulings and Stories — 2026-06-12 08:03:00 — www.politifact.com
Trump’s Rally Claim About Nassau County Republicans Contradicted by Local Political History
At a recent rally in Suffern, New York, Donald Trump introduced Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and praised him as a trailblazer for Republicans in what Trump described as a heavily Democratic stronghold. “Nassau County, it’s all Democrat,” Trump said at the May 22 event. Referring to Blakeman’s 2021 victory, Trump asserted, “You know, when he ran years ago, he ran in Nassau. They said, you got to be kidding. It doesn’t happen. No Republican wins in Nassau. And he ran and won.”
However, this characterization of Nassau County’s political landscape is at odds with the historical record. While it is true that Nassau County has tended to vote Democratic in presidential elections since 1992—with Trump himself breaking that streak in 2024—Republicans have consistently performed well in local races. In fact, seven out of the county’s ten executives since 1938 have been Republicans, and the party has often controlled other key offices, including the district attorney and comptroller.
Local political analysts and historians have dismissed Trump’s claim as misleading. Lawrence Levy, a longtime observer of Long Island politics, described Trump’s assertion as “almost laughable,” noting that Democrats have only occasionally succeeded in county and town races, while Republicans have dominated for decades.
The facts show that, contrary to Trump’s statement, Nassau County has a long history of electing Republicans to major offices. While the county’s recent presidential voting patterns have favored Democrats, the broader political reality is far more competitive and often leans Republican at the local level.
Conclusion
Trump’s statement that “no Republican wins in Nassau” ignores the county’s actual political history, where Republicans have frequently held top offices. The claim contains a kernel of truth regarding presidential elections, but it distorts the broader record, earning a “Mostly False” rating from fact-checkers. This episode highlights Trump’s ongoing pattern of exaggerating or misrepresenting political realities to bolster his narrative.