Hochul leads Blakeman by 14 points in New York governor’s race, per new Quinnipiac poll

(Oct. 21, 2026 / JNS)

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul leads Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman by 14 percentage points, 55% to 41%, among likely voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday, less than two weeks before Election Day.

Hochul, a Democrat and the state’s first female governor, draws much of her support from women, who back her over Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, 60% to 35%. Men are nearly evenly divided, with 49% supporting Hochul and 48% Blakeman.

The poll found that 23% of likely voters had not heard enough about Blakeman to form an opinion. Overall, 36% viewed him favorably and 40% unfavorably.

“As Republican Bruce Blakeman becomes better known, he’s improved his image among independents,” Quinnipiac University poll assistant director Mary Snow stated. “But with less than two weeks to go until the final votes are cast, he faces an uphill battle as Hochul maintains a double-digit lead.”

The cost of living, the economy and immigration were the top three issues shaping voters’ choices, with 22%, 19% and 13% citing them as their top concern, respectively.

Among voters who prioritized the cost of living, Hochul led Blakeman 71% to 24%. She also held a 72% to 27% advantage among those who named the economy as their top issue. Blakeman led 71% to 28% among voters who prioritized immigration.

“The issues driving likely voters to choose a candidate produce starkly different outcomes,” Snow stated. “If it’s the cost of living or the economy as the top issue, Hochul has resounding support. If it’s immigration, Blakeman leads overwhelmingly.”

Hochul’s job approval rating stood at 49%, with 45% disapproving of her performance. Her overall favorability rating was nearly even, with 45% viewing her favorably and 46% unfavorably.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also divided voters statewide: 43% viewed him favorably and 42% unfavorably. His favorability was higher in New York City, at 61%, but he received net-negative ratings in the suburbs, where 35% viewed him favorably and 54% unfavorably, and upstate, where the figures were 33% and 47%, respectively.

U.S. President Donald Trump had a 35% favorability rating, compared with 59% who viewed him unfavorably.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,167 likely New York voters from Oct. 15-19. The poll’s margin of error was plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.