New N.Y. governor's race poll shows Gov. Hochul's lead over Bruce Blakeman narrowing
A new poll in the New York governor's race shows Gov. Kathy Hochul's lead over challenger Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman narrowing as likely voters start focusing on the November ballot.
The poll shows Blakeman closing the gap between them to 10 points — 49% to 39% among likely voters. In June, there was a 20-point gap when registered voters were polled — Hochul at 52% and Blakeman at 32%.
Political experts say the poll numbers are worrisome for Hochul, pointing out that at this point four years ago, she was 14 points ahead of then-opponent Lee Zeldin, whom she beat by only 6 points.
"You may see a very interesting coalition of independent New Yorkers with some Jewish New Yorkers and some just mainstream Democrats that are concerned about the direction of the Democratic Party that may form a coalition to support Blakeman," said J.C. Polanco, a law professor at the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx. "Only because he happens to be pro-choice, pro-union, from the suburbs and opposes tax hikes."
Hochul convened fellow Democrats on Wednesday to warn them about new laws going into effect restricting local police from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was also a prime opportunity to bash Blakeman, whose Nassau County police will now have to curtail their close relationship with immigration agents.
"I expect him, like everybody else in this state, to follow the laws of New York. And there are consequences if you do not," Hochul said. "And again, someone like that will intentionally misrepresent, which is a nice way of saying lie."
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also used the issue to back Hochul and bash Blakeman.
"If they want a leader who looks at the cruelty of ICE and sees a playbook of what to deliver at an even greater extent in New York state, then that's Bruce Blakeman," Mamdani said. "And I know what choice I would make."
That unwittingly played into Blakeman's hands. The Nassau County executive has made a concerted effort to liken the more-moderate Hochul to the democratic socialist mayor.
"She's completely controlled by Mamdani, and he's running the Democratic Party now," Blakeman said. "She's subservient to him, and everybody is calling her by her rightful name, Comrade Kathy."
Polanco said Hochul's connection to Mamdani could hurt her among more moderate Democrats, independents and Republicans. For example, in the poll, 82% of Republicans and 57% of independents say they have an unfavorable view of The Democratic Socialists of America, which Mamdani belongs to.
Meanwhile, there's a question of whether Blakeman could be hurt by his connection to President Trump, who will be campaigning with him on Friday.
The president is deeply unpopular in New York. Voters in the poll gave him a 38% approval rating, and 60% have an unfavorable view of him. The question is really going to be whether Mr. Trump helps Blakeman in certain pockets of the state, like on Long Island where there's a larger Republican vote, or if it hurts him in places like New York City.
