Loudonville, N.Y. (WBEN) - A new Siena College poll shows Governor Kathy Hochul has a commanding lead over potential gubernatorial challenger Rep. Elise Stefanik and other GOP candidates.
Hochul leads Stefanik 47-24%, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman 44-19% and Rep. Mike Lawler 44-24%.
“Unsurprisingly, Hochul leads with Democrats in all three potential gubernatorial matchups by between 50 and 60 points, and she trails in all three with Republicans by between 34 and 40 points. She leads with independents by between 7 and 14 points,” says Siena College Research Institute Director Don Levy.
The survey asked participants who they would vote for in each hypothetical matchup. 69% of Democrats said they would vote for Hochul over Stefanik. Those numbers drop to 67% and 64% in a race against Blakeman or Lawler, respectively.
“While the early leads seem large, Hochul is not hitting the ‘magic’ 51% mark against any of these opponents, and in each matchup, between a quarter and a third of voters wasn’t able to choose between the two candidates,” Levy said.
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Rep. Stefanik was in Buffalo Monday with Rep. Nick Langworthy at a GOP fundraiser. Stefanik has yet to announce her campaign, but took shots at Hochul throughout the engagement, at one point saying "It's not just Republicans, it's Independents and Democrats as well who realize she is a failed governor."
The full survey can be found here.