Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman leads incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul by 21 percentage points among independent voters \u2014 even as she holds a healthy double-digit lead in the deeply blue Empire State, a new poll found.<\/p>\n
Hochul leads Blakeman by 12 percentage points, 52% to 40%, with 8% undecided, according to an Emerson College\/PIX 11 survey of 900 likely voters<\/a> released Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cHochul\u2019s lead is driven by strong support among New York Democrats, 84% to 8%, but independents break for the Republican, Blakeman, 55% to 34%, a notable contrast with other Emerson statewide polls this cycle, in which independent voters have generally favored the Democratic candidate,\u201d said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.<\/p>\n Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has a large lead over Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul among independent Empire State voters. Tomas E. Gaston for NY Post<\/p>\n The Emerson College survey tracks other recent independent polls that show Hochul leading Blakeman<\/a> from a range of 11-19 points. Republican polls claim the race is much closer.<\/p>\n Emerson found Hochul is not popular \u2014 only 40% approve of her job performance, 46% disapprove, and the remainder of voters are undecided.<\/p>\n The poll had worse news for Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader.<\/p>\n Only 30% approve of Schumer\u2019s job performance, 50% disapprove and 20% are unsure \u2014 a startlingly low number in Democratic-dominated New York.<\/p>\n A poll from Emerson College, however, indicates Gov. Hochul has a 12-point lead over Blakeman. Stephen Yang for NY Post<\/p>\n Schumer\u2019s approval rating was 5 points lower than President Trump\u2019s, who had a 35% approval rating and a 57% disapproval rating, the poll found.<\/p>\n Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been stumping upstate<\/a>, which many see as a networking bid to run for Schumer\u2019s seat when it\u2019s up for grabs in 2028.<\/p>\n First-year democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani has a higher approval rating than statewide elected officials, with 47% giving him a thumbs up and 41% disapproving, and 13% undecided, the poll found.<\/p>\n The Nassau County Executive has the upper hand among independent voters by 21%, according to Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. James Messerschmidt for NY Post<\/p>\n The Emerson College Polling\/PIX11 News New York surveyed 900 likely voters Oct. 3-5, and has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.<\/p>\n Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans statewide 6 million to 3.4 million \u2014 but there are also 3.4 million who aren\u2019t affiliated with a party, according to the state Board of Elections active enrollment logs.<\/p>\n Hochul, 68, is seeking her second full term after the former lieutenant governor ascended to the top post when former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned<\/a>. <\/p>\n Hochul is seeking her second full term, while Blakeman looks to upset the incumbent governor on Election Day. Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Post<\/p>\n