Hochul to head to Puerto Rico political junket, with plans to avoid pol who backed Blakeman

Gov.Kathy Hochul is set to jet to Puerto Rico for an annual political junket this week, but won’t hold her gala at the local governor’s residence after she endorsed Bruce Blakeman in the governor’s race.Hochul’s SOMOS party will be held at Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico on Thursday evening, according to insiders.Hochul has opted for the last two years to avoid the first female governor of Puerto Rico, Republican Jenniffer González-Colón.Earlier this year, she backed Blakeman when he jetted down to the island for a political fundraiser in May.The endorsement was organized in part by former city Mayor Eric Adams’ longtime ally and child TV star, Brock Pierce.The former “Mighty Ducks” child actor-turned-crypto billionaire shelled out $143,000 of his own cash to help the GOP member’s campaign.The goal was to help boost Blakeman’s support in the Hispanic community, according to insiders.More than 1 million Puerto Ricans live in New York with nearly three-quarters of them calling the Big Apple home.

For decades, New York governors and other state officials, along with Big Apple reps, have gathered in San Juan in the days after the November elections as part of a boozy conference attended by union leaders, lobbyists, advocates and nearly every elected.Hochul used to host her party at the palace, La Fortaleza, before González-Colón was elected in 2024.The governor’s last public event is planned for Saturday morning, when she is slated to attend the annual labor breakfast.She is planning, though, to spend more private time on the island with her family in the days after the conference wraps, according to insiders....