Actress Debra Messing has officially endorsed Republican Bruce Blakeman in the New York gubernatorial race, citing deep concerns over the city’s economic decline.
When Debra Messing looked at the streets of New York, she no longer saw the city she once called home. The long-time Democratic activist. who once stood on stages for Hillary Clinton and campaigned for Cynthia Nixon’s 2018 bid for governor. has made a sharp political pivot. publicly throwing her support behind Republican Bruce Blakeman in the race to unseat incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul.
“Oh gosh, I am so grateful that you are running,” Messing told Blakeman in a video shared on Instagram. “You are what we need more than anything.”
For an actress who spent years as a fixture in Democratic politics—canvassing for the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 and clashing openly with Donald Trump—the endorsement signals a profound shift. Her support for Blakeman. the current Nassau County executive and a candidate backed by Donald Trump. arrives as she voices alarm over the city’s direction. Messing. a New York native. described a landscape marred by economic and social erosion. noting that business loss and rising costs are driving residents away.
“The decline in this city over the last four years has been so exponential and devastating economically, socially on every level, and obviously we’ve lost so much business here,” she said. “People are leaving the city.”
At the core of her decision is the mounting financial pressure on everyday New Yorkers. She pointed specifically to the high cost of living, utility bills, and the contentious issue of congestion pricing. As she put it, residents are simply struggling, and she views the Republican nominee as the path toward relief. “It’s just too expensive to live in New York City and I love the fact that that is the top of your mind. ” she told Blakeman. adding. “I was born here. This is the city I love. and it’s not the city that I love anymore. and I believe with all my heart that you are the answer.”.
The alignment of a former Democratic campaign surrogate with a Trump-backed Republican underscores the volatility surrounding the 2026 gubernatorial race. While Kathy Hochul holds the incumbency. Blakeman has positioned his platform around the pillars of affordability. tax reform. crime. and immigration—issues that clearly resonated with Messing’s own assessment of the current crisis.
Her departure from established political loyalties is rooted in a desire for immediate, tangible changes to the cost of living. Whether this shift signals a broader trend among voters remains to be seen. but for now. the actress has drawn a firm line between her past activism and her current priorities for the city.
Debra Messing Bruce Blakeman Kathy Hochul New York governor race politics 2026 election New York City economy