Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley).

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley). Credit: James Carbone; Craig Ruttle

ALBANY — Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul holds a 14- to 16-point lead over Republican Lee Zeldin, building a lead based on New York City voters, the Democrats’ statewide enrollment advantage and women voters, according to two polls released Tuesday.

A Siena College survey found the incumbent 14 points ahead of Zeldin, the Long Island congressman from Shirley, while Emerson College put the difference at 16 points. These are the first polls released since Hochul and Zeldin won their respective primaries.

The surveys said all the Democratic statewide candidates enjoyed notable leads over their opposition.

Sen. Chuck Schumer had at least a 21-point lead in each poll over the GOP’s Joe Pinion. State Attorney General Letitia James led Republican Michael Henry by 14-18 points.

And Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli leads Republican Paul Rodriguez by 21 points in the Siena poll; Emerson didn’t survey the comptroller’s race.

Though Hochul’s lead is in double digits, it’s smaller than leads Andrew M. Cuomo, the previous Democratic governor, generally held at this point of the election cycle. Cuomo typically led by more than 20 percentage points in August during his successful campaigns of 2010, 2014 and 2018.

“Less than 100 days until Election Day, Hochul has a solid 14-point lead over Zeldin, a reflection of the Democrats’ large enrollment advantage in New York,” said Steve Greenberg, spokesman for the Siena College poll. Enrolled Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in New York.

Greenberg called Hochul’s lead “not insurmountable.”

“Hochul has a clear base of women voters in New York,” said Spencer Kimball, director of the Emerson College poll. “The governor holds a three-point lead over Zeldin among male voters, 46% to 43%, but that lead expands to 29 points among women voters, 55% to 26%.”

Kimball added: “While Hochul has a commanding lead in the New York City region, 63% to 17%, the governor trails Zeldin 49% to 43% in New York City suburbs, and is statistically even in upstate … with Zeldin, trailing 44% to 43%.”

The two polls had some other common findings: Hochul’s favorability rating is around 45% of voters while Zeldin’s is around 30%. Zeldin remains unknown to about 41% of those surveyed in either poll.

Schumer led Pinion, 53-31, in the Emerson poll and 56-35 in the Siena poll.

In the attorney general contest, incumbent James leads by at least 14 points, but she has the lowest approval rating of any of the statewide Democratic candidates: 43% according to Siena, 38% according to Emerson.

Republicans Pinion, Henry and Rodriguez are unknown to at least 80% of those surveyed.

The Siena survey was conducted July 24-28, among 806 likely New York State voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Emerson said its poll, conducted July 26-28, sampled 1,000 “very likely and almost certain general election voters,” and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

ALBANY — Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul holds a 14- to 16-point lead over Republican Lee Zeldin, building a lead based on New York City voters, the Democrats’ statewide enrollment advantage and women voters, according to two polls released Tuesday.

A Siena College survey found the incumbent 14 points ahead of Zeldin, the Long Island congressman from Shirley, while Emerson College put the difference at 16 points. These are the first polls released since Hochul and Zeldin won their respective primaries.

The surveys said all the Democratic statewide candidates enjoyed notable leads over their opposition.

Sen. Chuck Schumer had at least a 21-point lead in each poll over the GOP’s Joe Pinion. State Attorney General Letitia James led Republican Michael Henry by 14-18 points.

And Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli leads Republican Paul Rodriguez by 21 points in the Siena poll; Emerson didn’t survey the comptroller’s race.

Though Hochul’s lead is in double digits, it’s smaller than leads Andrew M. Cuomo, the previous Democratic governor, generally held at this point of the election cycle. Cuomo typically led by more than 20 percentage points in August during his successful campaigns of 2010, 2014 and 2018.

“Less than 100 days until Election Day, Hochul has a solid 14-point lead over Zeldin, a reflection of the Democrats’ large enrollment advantage in New York,” said Steve Greenberg, spokesman for the Siena College poll. Enrolled Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in New York.

Greenberg called Hochul’s lead “not insurmountable.”

“Hochul has a clear base of women voters in New York,” said Spencer Kimball, director of the Emerson College poll. “The governor holds a three-point lead over Zeldin among male voters, 46% to 43%, but that lead expands to 29 points among women voters, 55% to 26%.”

Kimball added: “While Hochul has a commanding lead in the New York City region, 63% to 17%, the governor trails Zeldin 49% to 43% in New York City suburbs, and is statistically even in upstate … with Zeldin, trailing 44% to 43%.”

The two polls had some other common findings: Hochul’s favorability rating is around 45% of voters while Zeldin’s is around 30%. Zeldin remains unknown to about 41% of those surveyed in either poll.

Schumer led Pinion, 53-31, in the Emerson poll and 56-35 in the Siena poll.

In the attorney general contest, incumbent James leads by at least 14 points, but she has the lowest approval rating of any of the statewide Democratic candidates: 43% according to Siena, 38% according to Emerson.

Republicans Pinion, Henry and Rodriguez are unknown to at least 80% of those surveyed.

The Siena survey was conducted July 24-28, among 806 likely New York State voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Emerson said its poll, conducted July 26-28, sampled 1,000 “very likely and almost certain general election voters,” and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV Credit: Newsday

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