The latest poll conducted by Siena University reveals that New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul’s lead over her Republican opponent, Bruce Blakeman, is decreasing. The survey indicates Hochul is ahead with 49% compared to Blakeman’s 39% among likely voters. This is a drop from the earlier 52-32% lead when the poll targeted registered voters in June.
In August 2022, Hochul, who was concluding her first year as governor, maintained a 14-point lead over her then-opponent, former Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin. Eventually, Hochul secured victory by 53-47%. Siena pollster Steven Greenberg contextualized these figures by drawing comparisons to the previous election cycle.
Bruce Blakeman, serving as the Nassau County executive, remarked that recent polls demonstrate a neck-and-neck race. He criticized the accuracy of the Siena poll, asserting it consistently misses the mark. Blakeman accused Hochul of projecting a misleading image of her lead, blaming her policies on taxes, energy costs, and crime for her alleged shortcomings.
The Siena University survey, conducted from August 3-6 among 811 likely voters, has a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points. Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s campaign for a response.
The poll indicates that voters slightly favor Hochul over Blakeman regarding affordability and housing. Hochul leads 48-41% in making prices more attainable and 51-35% in boosting affordable housing availability.
Voters are more split on matters like ensuring New York’s safety and managing undocumented immigrants. Hochul marginally leads Blakeman, 47-44% and 45-44%, respectively. Partisan support remains strong for both candidates, with Hochul leading Democrats 80-8% and Blakeman leading Republicans 84-9%. Independent voters lean towards Blakeman by 45-40%.
Hochul commands a significant lead in New York City, 64-19%. However, Blakeman is ahead in the suburban downstate by eight points, while they are evenly matched upstate and among male and white voters. Hochul, conversely, has significant support among women, Black, and Latino voters.
Siena University’s poll also explored views on the Democratic Socialists of America, showing a negative opinion overall. Democrats view the group positively at 50-21%, whereas most Republicans and independents express unfavorable opinions.
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