A new poll by Siena College finds Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leading Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin in the 2022 race to hold the state’s top elected post.
The poll finds Hochul ahead of Zeldin by 14 points at 53% to 39%.
Siena spokesman Steve Greenberg said the Democratic governor, who is seeking a full term in office, leads among Democrats, African Americans and in New York City, while Zeldin is ahead in upstate.
Among independents, and in the New York City suburbs, the race is closer.
“Independent voters (are) closely divided,” Greenberg said. “44% with Zeldin, 42% with Hochul.”
But numerically, there are twice as many Democrats in the state than independents or Republicans, so Zeldin would need to win over some Democratic voters to be victorious in November.
The poll also found that two-thirds of all New York voters oppose the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade, and three-quarters think abortion in some form should remain legal.
Hochul supports abortion rights, while Zeldin is anti-abortion.
