(The Center Square) — Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lead over Republican rival Bruce Blakeman has widened, according to a new poll, which shows her overall favorability among the state’s voters slipping.
The Siena College survey of about 800 registered voters, released Tuesday, shows Hochul leading Blakeman 49% to 33% and highlighted the governor’s continued support among Democrats and many independents. Hochul’s lead over Blakeman, a Nassau County Executive, is up slightly from a 13-point lead in March, pollsters found.
Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said Hochul’s favorability and approval ratings have fallen even though it’s not entirely clear whether it is the late state budget or something that she said on the campaign trail. He said she has fallen even deeper underwater with independent voters.
“Yet, Hochul’s lead over still-largely-unknown Blakeman – 64% of voters have never heard of or don’t have an opinion about him – has nudged up three points in the last month to 49-33%,” Greenberg said. “Six months out, voters are largely in their partisan lanes.
Pollsters found at least three-quarters of Democrats are backing Hochul, while a similar portion of Republicans are supporting Blakeman’s bid for governor. Independents are tilting toward Blakeman by two points, down from seven points in March, according to the Siena poll. Hochul leads by 34 points in New York City and by a handful of points outside of the city.
Meanwhile, a majority or plurality of Republicans and independents said they believe the state is headed in the wrong direction on key issues such as the state’s cost of living, housing, crime, healthcare, infrastructure, environment, and education.
A majority of Democrats think the state is on the right track on five issues, but Greenberg said even Democrats agree with Republicans and independents that the state is headed in the wrong direction on two key issues: housing and cost of living.
Hochul, a Democrat, is seeking re-election to a second full term with her running mate, former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. Blakeman, 70, a Nassau County Executive, is making his first run for governor and recently tapped Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood as his running mate for lieutenant governor.
Blakeman was expected to travel to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for a White House meeting with President Donald Trump, who previously endorsed his gubernatorial campaign.
Siena pollsters found other top New York Democrats are also struggling with low favorability ratings among voters, including Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is viewed unfavorably by New York City voters 37-45%, according to the poll.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, is still viewed favorably – but barely – by a plurality of voters statewide, or 43-40%, which is down slightly from 44-37% in March and 47-35% in February, pollsters said. His favorability rating in New York City is 56-34%, higher than either Hochul’s or Schumer’s ratings.
