A newly released poll suggests New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s re-election race against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is becoming increasingly competitive, as the two traded pointed attacks Monday during Hochul’s visit to Long Island.

Hochul made appearances in both Nassau and Suffolk counties, where she dismissed a Blakeman campaign mailer that linked her and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to high taxes, soaring utility costs, and crime.

“That’s interesting — because it’s not based on fact,” she claimed while announcing a new $100 million grant program in Freeport to fund law enforcement technology.

Rather than accepting blame for rising costs, Hochul pointed the finger at Republicans in Washington, arguing that support for President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran and his tariff policies had increased financial pressures on New Yorkers.

She also accused the Trump administration of playing politics by withholding federal disaster assistance for New York following the severe February blizzards.

“They think it’s hurting me, but it’s backfiring,” Hochul insisted.

The governor’s comments came as a new survey showed Blakeman closing the gap in the gubernatorial contest.

According to the poll, conducted by co/efficient on behalf of the Coalition to Protect Nassau Taxpayers, Hochul leads Blakeman by just six percentage points among likely general election voters, receiving 47% support compared with Blakeman’s 41%, while 12% remain undecided.

The polling firm earned credibility during the 2022 governor’s race by accurately projecting that Hochul’s contest against then-Rep. Lee Zeldin would be far closer than most public polls suggested. Hochul ultimately won by six percentage points, matching co/efficient’s September 2022 forecast.

The latest results differ significantly from several other public polls that have shown Hochul holding a double-digit lead, with some placing her advantage as high as 20 points.

The survey also suggested that concerns about socialism could become a significant issue in the race. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they were either concerned or very concerned about socialism, while 45% said they were not.

Despite those findings, Hochul rejected the notion that New York is moving toward socialism and portrayed herself as a pragmatic leader willing to work with officials across the political spectrum, including both President Trump and Mamdani.

“We are not becoming a socialist state because of an election of a number of individuals in New York City,” Hochul insisted during an interview on 103.9 Long Island News Radio before her visit.

“My job is continue to work with whomever the voters want me to work with,” she told host Jay Oliver, referring to Mamdani and the slate of Democratic Socialists of America candidates who won several contests in last month’s Democratic primaries.

Hochul concluded her Long Island trip in Suffolk County, where she signed legislation authorizing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to acquire the former Lawrence Aviation property, a move intended to help preserve the Setauket–Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail.

Blakeman quickly fired back after Hochul’s visit.

“You can stage all the photo ops you want, Kathy. New Yorkers know you created this mess — and I actually made our neighborhoods safer,” Blakeman snipped in a statement.

His campaign also defended the mailer that prompted Hochul’s criticism.

“Every New Yorker needs to know that the Hochul-Mamdani team is the reason their taxes and utility bills are soaring, while Bruce Blakeman has the plan to slash income taxes and cut utility bills in half,” campaign spokeswoman Madison Spanodemos said.

The poll also underscored Hochul’s political challenges beyond the head-to-head matchup, finding that only 32% of likely voters hold a favorable opinion of the governor.

“Hochul is deeply disliked across the state,” said co/efficient pollster Ryan Munce.

{Matzav.com}