NEW YORK (VINnews) — Republican Bruce Blakeman has narrowed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s advantage in New York’s gubernatorial contest, although the Democratic incumbent continues to lead by double digits, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.

The survey found Hochul receiving support from 55% of likely voters, compared with 41% for Blakeman, the Nassau County executive. In September, Quinnipiac measured Hochul’s lead at 19 percentage points.

The current margin is also wider than the one recorded at a similar point in the 2022 campaign, when Hochul led Republican Lee Zeldin by four points in a Quinnipiac survey.

“Hochul is in a better position than she was four years ago when she faced Lee Zeldin,” said Quinnipiac pollster Mary Snow.

The results reveal sharply different regional dynamics. Hochul commands a substantial advantage in New York City, where she leads Blakeman 70% to 24%. Four years ago, her lead over Zeldin among city voters was considerably narrower, at 59% to 37%.

Blakeman, meanwhile, leads 52% to 46% in upstate New York. The downstate suburbs remain closely divided, with 48% supporting Blakeman and 47% backing Hochul.

Party affiliation remains a powerful factor. Hochul attracts 94% of Democratic voters, while Blakeman receives support from 95% of Republicans. Among independents, however, Blakeman leads 51% to 44%.

The gender breakdown also favors Hochul. Women support the governor by a 60% to 35% margin, while male voters are nearly evenly split, with 49% for Hochul and 48% for Blakeman.

Neither candidate has established a broadly favorable public image. Hochul’s favorable rating stands at 45%, while 46% view her unfavorably. Blakeman has a 36% favorable rating and a 40% unfavorable rating; another 23% said they had not heard enough about him to offer an opinion.

Campaign resources present another contrast. Hochul and the state Democratic Party together reported $22 million in available cash, giving the incumbent a substantial financial advantage over Blakeman and the state Republican Party.

Economic concerns dominate voters’ priorities. The cost of living was named by 22% as their top issue, followed by the broader economy at 19%. Immigration ranked third at 13%. Hochul held support from more than 70% of voters who prioritized economic issues, while Blakeman received more than 70% among those who identified immigration as their principal concern.

The survey also measured opinions of other political figures. President Donald Trump received a favorable rating from 34% of voters, while 60% viewed his job performance unfavorably. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was viewed favorably by 43% and unfavorably by 42%.

Early voting is scheduled to begin Saturday and run through Nov. 1, ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Quinnipiac interviewed 1,167 likely voters from Oct. 15-19. The survey’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.