Polls Show Zeldin Gaining on Hochul in NY Governor Race

Republican Lee Zeldin now trails Democrat Kathy Hochul by only 4 points ahead of the Nov. 8 election, a major new poll released Tuesday finds.

The Quinnipiac College survey — with a margin of error of 2% — shows Gov. Hochul with 50% support among likely voters to 46% for Zeldin, the Long Island congressman, the NY Post reported.

Hochul leads in New York City 59% to 37%.

But the race is very tight in the suburbs with Zeldin receiving 50 percent and Hochul at 49 percent.

Zeldin leads upstate 52% to 44%.

“In the blue state of New York, the race for governor is competitive. Democrats have cruised to victory in gubernatorial races since 2006, but Governor Hochul’s narrow edge puts Republican Lee Zeldin well within striking distance of her,” said Quinnipiac pollster Mary Snow.

Asked to choose the most urgent issue facing New York State today, crime — the major plan of the Republican challenger — ranked first among likely voters at 28% followed by inflation at 20% and protecting democracy at 14 %, the NY Post reported.

Hochul has fallen back to hammering Zeldin over his ties to former President Donald Trump, who is unpopular in New York, and his anti-abortion stance. Zeldin has recently put out an ad affirming he “will not” change abortion protections in New York if elected.

The Quinnipiac survey is the latest in a series of polls that has shown the race tightening with Zeldin closing the gap with Hochul.

The tightening race spurred the RealClearPolitics website to redefine the race as a “toss-up” last weekend despite Hochul’s big cash advantage in a state where registered Democrats outnumber GOP voters by roughly two-to-one.

Hochul, the former lieutenant governor, became the state’s leader last year after former three-term Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid misconduct accusations under the threat of impeachment.

Zeldin said the Quinnipiac poll shows he’s gaining momentum and vowed to pull off an upset, the NY Post reported.

“The polls have continued to show that our message is resonating, and on Tuesday, November 8th, they’re going to elect a new Governor to Save Our State and restore New York to glory.”

Congressman Zeldin (R, NY-1), is one of two Jewish Republicans in Congress, visited Crown Heights on Chol Hamoed Sukkos and was greeted by supporters at a Sukkah party and at the Simchas Bais Hashoeva celebration on Kingston Avenue.

Last month, Zeldin paid a visit to the Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens, where he prayed for blessings and also was presented with a letter from the Frierdiker Rebbe which was written to his great-grandfather, R’ Moshe Efraim Zeldin, who Rep. Zeldin is named after.