Republican Bruce Blakeman is within striking distance of Gov. Kathy Hochul in the New York governor’s race, with a new poll showing the Nassau County executive trailing the Democratic incumbent by just four percentage points less than two months before Election Day. The McLaughlin & Associates survey, conducted for Blakeman’s campaign, has Hochul at 49.6% and Blakeman at 45.7%, with 4.7% undecided, the New York Post reports.

The poll, conducted among 800 likely voters from Aug. 27 through Aug. 31, also points to significant dissatisfaction with Hochul. Fifty-five percent of respondents view the governor unfavorably, while 56% believe it is time to give someone else a chance to lead New York. Just 38% believe Hochul has performed well enough to deserve reelection.

Blakeman is performing particularly strongly outside New York City. He leads Hochul 53% to 43% in the suburbs and 51% to 46% upstate. Hochul, however, maintains a massive advantage in New York City, leading Blakeman 60% to 33%, meaning the Republican would need enormous turnout outside the city or significantly narrow her NYC margin to pull off an upset.

The campaign’s poll paints a considerably tighter picture than an independent Siena College survey released last month, which had Hochul ahead by 10 points, 49% to 39%. Blakeman also faces a major name-recognition problem, with 30% of likely voters in the new survey either unfamiliar with him or having no opinion of him.

Hochul also enters the final stretch with an enormous financial advantage. Her campaign reported $21 million on hand in July, while the state Democratic Party held another $22 million. Blakeman’s campaign, the Nassau County Republican Party and other allied GOP groups have raised roughly $11 million, although outside super PACs are now spending to boost his candidacy.

“The Worst Governor in America is on the ropes, and New Yorkers have had enough,” Blakeman declared, predicting voters will elect him in November “to make New York affordable again, keep families here, and build a new era where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.”

The survey is the latest pro-Blakeman poll to show a close contest. Two earlier surveys commissioned by groups supporting the Republican had Hochul ahead by four and six points, respectively. In 2022, Hochul defeated Republican Lee Zeldin by six points, 53% to 47%.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)