The politically awkward context of Bruce Blakeman’s swearing-in Monday for a second term as Nassau County executive is crucial to the way the ceremony played out. Rather than set a fresh vision for the county in the next several years, as in a traditional inaugural address, Blakeman highlighted his tenure so far and let others talk up his declared ambitions for governor.

Long Island is the beachhead for a state Republican Party that has been shut out of all four statewide offices for 20 years and lost its State Senate majority in 2019. Understandably, Nassau’s dominant GOP used the event to trumpet the reelection of Blakeman, Comptroller Elaine Phillips and County Clerk Maureen O’Connell, all sworn in at the Cradle of Aviation in Uniondale.

Minority Democratic legislators, denied influence, sat out the hoopla. Tuesday’s event brought some of the sounds of a schmoozy party convention — with the obligatory shoutout to President Donald Trump,........

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