Lee Zeldin has apparently gained enough momentum to bring the New York gubernatorial race to a neck and neck status in the heavily Democratic state.
Last weekend we reported that RCP had moved the race to a toss up.
Now a major new poll confirms this, showing that Zeldin has brought the race to within four points, 50-46.
Here’s more via the New York Post:
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.
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 %.
Zeldin has blasted Hochul over rising crime and alleged pay-to-play schemes involving campaign donors.
Hochul has fallen back to hammering Zeldin over his ties to former President Donald Trump, who is unpopular in New York, and his anit-abortion stance. Zeldin has recently put out an ad affirming he “will not” change abortion protections in New York if elected.
At the beginning of this month, Trafalgar put Zeldin within two points of Hochul and now Quinnipiac is saying something very similar.
Not only that, but an independent polling group had Hochul only leading by 6 points just last week.
So it does appear that Zeldin is seriously closing the gap as we get closer to November. Hopefully most of the undecideds will break in his favor and push him over the finish line.
It would be a huge deal if Zeldin managed to win in a heavily Democratic state and it would be a considered a referendum on Joe Biden.