You never give me your money!
GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman’s ex-wife – who’s now hitched to Sir Paul McCartney – donated $18,000 to Gov. Kathy Hochul before her former husband launched his campaign.
Nancy McCartney, formerly Nancy Shevell, gave the maximum contribution to “Friends for Kathy Hochul” in May 2025, records show.
But Blakeman – who lists “Obla-Di Obla-Da” as his favorite Beatles tune – said Wednesday that life goes on and he’s not gonna dwell on “Yesterday.”
“I don’t know anything about it and certainly she’s free to contribute to any campaign that she wants to contribute to, but my understanding is she made that contribution six months before I got into the campaign against Kathy Hochul,” he told reporters at an unrelated press event.
“And that’s all I’ll say on the subject. I don’t know why,” he said. “I didn’t ask her. I have no idea.”
The Times Union noted on Wednesday that Shevell-McCartney had previously given to Republicans as well as Democrats.
In 2013 for example, she donated $3,000 to Republican Joe Lhota’s campaign for New York City mayor.
Former Gov. George Pataki, a Republican, appointed Shevell-McCartney to the Metropolitan Transporation Authority board, where she served for 10 years.
McCartney, being a Brit and not a US citizen, is barred from donating to campaigns though he’s been critical of Blakeman’s pal President Trump.
But one political observer said, “I wonder if Paul is behind her sudden switcheroo from donating Republican to Dems?”
Blakeman admitted a recent podcast that it was odd that his ex was now married to Sir Paul.
“It’s a little surrealistic that your ex-wife is married to a Beatle,” the candidate told NY1’s Errol Louis. “I’m not going to lie.”
Blakeman and Shevell-McCartney’s son Arlen recently stumped with his dad in Buffalo.
The candidate, who is now serving as Nassau County executive, has said his relationship with McCartney is “amicable.”
“Nice guy, and I’m a fan. I love his music,” Blakeman said Tuesday.
He cited “Obla-Di Obla-Da” as his favorite Beatles song when asked by a reporter.
“It’s a fun song, and there’s a lot of great songs,” he said. “‘Yesterday’ was an amazing song he wrote. ‘Hey Jude.’ You can go down the list. I mean, the guy is a musical genius.”
McCartney, 80, wed Shevell, 66, in 2011 – years after she and Blakeman had parted ways. They split amicably after 23 years of marriage.
Blakeman is now married to Nassau County Family Court Judge Segal Blakeman.
The Republican candidate had praised Sir Paul for being a good stepfather to his son — but said they don’t talk politics — which is probably a good thing.
“Well, he’s my son’s stepfather and he treats my son very nicely. He’s a nice guy,” Blakeman said. “Our politics are probably not the same. But we don’t talk about politics.”
