Siena poll: Gov. Hochul has big leads over potential challengers Blakeman, Delgado

ALBANY — Just days before the state Democratic convention in Syracuse, Gov. Kathy Hochul holds a 26-point lead over Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, her likely Republican opponent.

The latest Siena Research Institute poll of 802 registered voters found Hochul leads Blakeman 54% to 28%, and has a commanding lead, 64% to 11%, over Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. Delgado launched a primary challenge against Hochul last summer.

The poll found New Yorkers gave Hochul the highest marks so far in her time in office, with a 49%-40% favorability rating, up from 43%-41% in December.

"While a 49%-40% favorability rating is not generally seen as something to gloat about, for Hochul it is a net seven point gain from December, but more noteworthy is the fact that it is the first time in 4½ years as governor that Hochul has had 49% of voters view her favorably in a Siena poll," Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said.

This Siena Poll was conducted Jan. 26-28. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

Hochul’s 79%-8% lead among Democrats is better than Blakeman’s 69%-15% lead with Republicans, and she leads 41%-34% with independents, as well as in every region of the state, Greenberg said.

Blakeman remains largely unknown among voters, with 62% saying they didn’t know him or had no opinion of him, including 54% of Republicans.

The poll also found that while New Yorkers generally approved of President Donald Trump’s handling of the Mexican border, 45-44%, they do not support the way he has used U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement. Two-thirds of those polled view ICE unfavorably and 61% oppose the way ICE is working to arrest people.

Trump has threatened to send additional ICE agents to New York City, something voters indicate they oppose, 59% to 33%.

"When it comes to ICE, voters quickly divide into partisan camps, with independents coming closer to the views of Democrats," Greenberg said. "Republicans view ICE favorably; support the way they are working and nearly three-quarters want additional ICE agents sent to New York City.

And state voters voiced their approval for a number of policies Hochul announced in her State of the State address last month, including some that garnered bipartisan support. The most popular was the proposal to eliminate taxes on the first $25,000 earned in tips, which 68% of voters approve of.

And 67% of voters want to ensure ICE can’t target undocumented immigrants in sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals and houses of worship unless there is a judicial warrant.

A majority of voters also support increasing child care funding, providing $30 million to farmers to offset increased costs due to federal tariffs.