ALBANY – A new poll commissioned by Bruce Blakeman’s campaign shows Governor Kathy Hochul leading the Republican challenger by fewer than 4 percentage points, with nearly 5 percent of likely voters undecided.
The survey of 800 likely New York voters, conducted Aug. 27-31 by McLaughlin & Associates, found Hochul, a Democrat, with 49.6 percent support and Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive, with 45.7 percent. Another 4.7 percent were undecided.
The poll’s margin of error was not provided in the campaign’s release. A Siena poll conducted last month had Hochul ahead of Blakeman by a margin of 49 percent to 39 percent.
“Kathy Hochul’s New York is a disaster: taxes are up, rents are up, utility bills are up, crime is up, and families are fleeing the state,” Blakeman said in a statement. “This November, they’re going to fire Kathy Hochul and elect me to make New York affordable again, keep families here, and build a new era where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.”
Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki responded by calling out Blakeman and the poll.
“Bruce Fakeman is pushing fake AI-generated ads, fake government letters to solicit donations, and fake polls to cover up the fact that nobody in the real world is buying what he’s selling: a ‘100 percent MAGA’ puppet enabling ICE’s violence, running his own armed militia, and promising to gut Medicaid and raise your costs,” Radulovacki said.
Among respondents who said they were familiar with both candidates, Blakeman led Hochul 52 percent to 44 percent, according to the survey. The poll also found that 56 percent of voters believed it was time for someone new to serve as governor, while 38 percent said Hochul deserved re-election.
Hochul’s favorability rating was 42 percent, compared with 55 percent who viewed her unfavorably. Blakeman was viewed favorably by 40 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 30 percent, the poll found.
The survey also showed Hochul receiving support from 78 percent of Democrats, while Blakeman received support from 87 percent of Republicans. The campaign said 34 percent of Hochul supporters and undecided voters indicated they would consider voting for a Republican.
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