Conservative Party of New York State Announces 2026 Statewide Candidate Slate

The Conservative Party of New York State has endorsed four candidates for statewide office in the 2026 general election, all of whom will appear on the party’s ballot line. The same slate recently received the backing of the New York Republican Party.

Party delegates gathered over the weekend in Stony Point for the Conservative Party of New York State’s 2026 Nominating Convention. In a statement following the event, the party said its members formally endorsed Bruce Blakeman for governor, Todd Hood for lieutenant governor, Saritha Komatireddy for attorney general, and Joseph Hernandez for comptroller.

In the statement, Chair Gerard Kassar called the slate a reflection of the party’s focus on public safety, protecting taxpayers, and advancing policies aimed at making the state more affordable for working families. He described the candidates as “energized and united” and praised them as “a change from the failed leadership in Albany.”

Of the four candidates, Blakeman previously courted the support of the state Conservative Party for his campaign, speaking at its annual “Conservative Party Political Action Conference” in the days before the convention. He also earned the backing of Kassar ahead of the vote, who announced his support for Blakeman in January. At the time, Kassar also said he anticipated close cooperation between the Conservative and Republican parties during the 2026 cycle.

Notably, the endorsements followed the New York Republican Party’s own nominating convention in Garden City, where the same four candidates received the support of the Republican State Committee. Absent a Republican primary challenger, three of the four candidates are expected to appear on the general election ballot under both party lines without issue.

The exception is Blakeman, who could still face a Republican primary challenge from Larry Sharpe, the gubernatorial nominee of the Libertarian Party and the We the People Party. Earlier this month, Sharpe announced that he intends to challenge Blakeman in the Republican primary. However, to qualify for the June primary ballot, Sharpe must submit 15,000 valid signatures from Republican voters, including at least 100 signatures from half of the state’s congressional districts.