Story perspectives

Hochul Leads Blakeman 50%-41% in Likely Voters Poll

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 4:50 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Gov. Kathy Hochul leads Bruce Blakeman 50% to 41% among likely New York voters.
Sixty-six percent of likely voters expect Hochul to win, including 37% of Republican respondents.
Fifty-one percent say U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Blakeman would negatively affect his campaign.
Letitia James leads the Attorney General race 52% to 39% over Saritha Komatireddy.
Seventy-four percent of likely voters oppose renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”

History

Historical Context

On November 8 1994, Republican George Pataki upset three-term Democrat Mario Cuomo, winning 48.8% of the vote—a key victory in the national ‘Republican Revolution’ and the last New York governor to lose re-election. Pataki’s campaign, boosted by U.S. Senator Al D’Amato’s endorsement, showed how outsider support can overturn incumbents, a pattern echoed today as Kathy Hochul leads Bruce Blakeman.

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Story summary

Gov. Kathy Hochul leads Bruce Blakeman 50% to 41% among likely New York voters.
Sixty-six percent of likely voters expect Hochul to win, including 37% of Republican respondents.
Fifty-one percent say U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Blakeman would negatively affect his campaign.
Letitia James leads the Attorney General race 52% to 39% over Saritha Komatireddy.
Seventy-four percent of likely voters oppose renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”

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