ALBANY — The Empire State’s gubernatorial race is tightening, according to new internal polling released by GOP hopeful Bruce Blakeman.
The campaign poll showed Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, within single digits of incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in blue New York.
The Long Island pol is only nine points behind Hochul — 52% to 43% — with less than eight months until Election Day, the poll obtained by The Post shows.
Gov. Kathy Hochul comments on her meeting with White House border czar Tom Homan during a news conference in the Red Room at the New York Capitol on March 6, 2026, in Albany. Hans Pennink for NY Post
“These are ominous results for the Democratic incumbent governor,” conservative pollster McLaughlin & Associates wrote in the memo to the Blakeman campaign, first reported by Politico on Wednesday.
“More important, the results provide a path to victory for Bruce Blakeman,” the memo said.
“With enough resources Bruce Blakeman can define himself to the electorate and defeat Kathy Hochul in November.”
It’s a bright spot for Blakeman, after Siena University’s latest poll, conducted late last month, had him 20 points behind Hochul, 51% to 31%.
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In an interview with The Post, Blakeman claimed the public college polls — Siena and Marist — undercount support for Republican candidates.
He cited another poll released in January by John Zogby Strategies that showed Hochul leading Blakeman 53% to 39% as evidence he’s gaining momentum.
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“It’s a close race,” Blakeman said.
“People are miserable with Kathy Hochul as governor. I’m going to win.”
New York’s gubernatorial race is tightening, according to new internal polling released by GOP hopeful Bruce Blakeman. Dennis A. Clark
He said Hochul was vulnerable and responsible for New York’s sky high taxes and utility costs, as well as the “green energy scam” she’s now trying to run away from.
“New York is the most highly taxed and most regulated state in America,” he said, while promising to cut down on utility costs.
Blakeman also accused Hochul and New York Democrats of “playing dirty politics” by trying to block him from qualifying for public matching campaign funds on technical grounds.
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But “they’re not going to defeat the will of the people,” he said.
A spokesman for Hochul’s campaign issued a snarky statement dissing Blakeman and tying him to his ally, President Trump.
“While Governor Hochul keeps putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, Bruce Blakeman’s MAGA brainrot campaign is somehow going worse than anyone expected as he defends Trump’s ICE, champions Trump’s expensive, illegal tariffs, and doubles down on Trump’s fight to gut Medicaid,” Hochul spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the New York GOP: We wouldn’t want to be stuck with him either.”
— Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy