Republicans dealt massive blow in bid to flip blue state governorship

Republican hopes of unseating Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul took a brutal hit Tuesday after their candidate was denied up to $7 million in matching funds over a pair of filing blunders, leaving him vastly outgunned in an already uphill race.

The Public Campaign Finance Board voted 4-3 along party lines to deny Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman the funds after he failed to list a lieutenant governor on his December application and never updated his paperwork when he picked his running mate, The New York Times reported.