N.Y. GOP Gubernatorial Nominee Defends Saying Brad Lander 'Would Be a Camp Guard' in Nazi Concentration Camp, Drawing Widespread Condemnation

Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for New York governor, on Thursday largely stood by remarks he made earlier this week that Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander "would be a camp guard in the concentration camp" if he could. Blakeman made the comment during a Newsmax interview after Lander won the Democratic primary in New York’s 10th Congressional District.

Immediate Backlash

Both men are Jewish, and Lander responded by condemning the comparison. "I don’t know where Bruce Blakeman went to Hebrew school, but I was taught that ‘Never Again!’ means never again to anyone," Lander said. He added, "Standing up for Palestinian human rights doesn’t make me any less proud to be Jewish, or any less serious about fighting antisemitism," and predicted New Yorkers "will resoundingly reject Blakeman’s far-right MAGA bigotry this November."

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who will face Blakeman in November, told NY1 that the remark "disqualifies him from public office," adding that Blakeman "is simply auditioning for his next role in the Trump administration after he loses the election." New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin also decried the remark on X, noting that the Holocaust "must never be used as a rhetorical device in our politics."

Responses From Jewish And Civic Groups

J Street, a liberal pro-Israel organization, called Blakeman’s language "corrosive and wrong," and on X said that vitriolic rhetoric will not obscure that many American Jews reject the idea that supporting Israel requires abandoning Palestinian rights.

Blakeman later softened his phrasing in a statement, saying, "Maybe camp guard was too strong, but certainly collaborator as Brad Lander turned his back on the Jewish community when he locked arms with the extremists who want to wipe Israel off the map."

Political Context

The exchange highlights intra-party and broader political tensions over Israel and Gaza. Lander, a progressive who has criticized the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, defeated Rep. Dan Goldman in Tuesday’s primary — one of several progressive upsets in New York. Goldman, who served as lead counsel during former President Trump’s first impeachment trial, drew endorsements from Democratic leaders including Gov. Hochul and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and was backed by major labor unions.

Both Lander and Goldman received support from J Street; Goldman also had backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a group that has provoked criticism from some progressives. Blakeman was endorsed by former President Donald Trump last year, a fact that has intensified partisan attention on the dispute and the November governor’s race.

What’s Next

The controversy is likely to feature in the closing months of the campaign as Democrats emphasize the inappropriateness of Holocaust comparisons in political debate while Republicans frame the dispute within larger disagreements over Israel policy and political alignment with former President Trump.