The Empire State’s incumbent may have sabotaged her own chance at holding the governor’s mansion after she “bent the knee” to a “Communist Antisemite” and gave an anticipated challenger an edge.
While considerable attention is turned on the upcoming gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia as supposed bellwethers for President Donald Trump’s second administration, early indicators suggest that New York voters are fed up with blue and primed to go red.
Having yet to officially announce her bid, a new poll put House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik within the margin of error behind Gov. Kathy Hochul, and outpacing the incumbent when voters became aware of the executives endorsement of New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D) in the New York City mayoral race.
The polling results from the firm Grayhouse found that only 48% of 1,250 likely voters were currently behind Hochul compared to 43% favoring Stefanik. After Hochul’s endorsement of the socialist was factored in, her support fell to 45.9% as the congresswoman crept ahead at 46.4%.
BREAKING: STUNNING new poll finds the NEW YORK 2026 governor election is only a 5 point race…
Gov. Kathy Hochul: 48% (+5)
Elise Stefanik: 43%When voters learn Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani for NYC mayor:
Stefanik: 46.4% (+0.5)
Hochul: 45.9%Wow.
New York… pic.twitter.com/uqfP8qJjvp
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 8, 2025
Should Mamdani win the race as expected, 47% of independent voters said they’d be unlikely to vote for any Democrat on the ballot let alone Hochul.
“Kathy Hochul’s coalition is historically fragile: soft support from her own voters, significant growing appetite for change, and her endorsement of politically toxic Zohran Mamdani collapses support among Independents,” said the firm’s Landon Wall in a memo on the results. “The data overwhelmingly points to unprecedented vulnerability for an incumbent New York Democrat Governor, and a race that Republicans can win.”
Stefanik likewise turned to the numbers in her statement as she said, “The data is clear that Kathy Hochul, the worst Governor in America, is a deeply embattled and historically unpopular failed Governor who is struggling to even gain support from her own party.”
“It is now crystal clear why Kathy Hochul bent the knee to the Communist Antisemite running for Mayor of New York City because she desperately needed to shore up her own party,” continued the lawmaker who argued, “Kathy Hochul has destroyed New York State, creating an affordability crisis with the highest taxes in the nation, and the highest energy, utility, rent, and grocery bills.”
After Hochul had come out in favor of Mamdani, a move that had yet to garner a reciprocal backing, President Donald Trump had criticized the endorsement and wrote on Truth Social, “Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has Endorsed the ‘Liddle’ Communist,’ Zohran Mamdani, running for Mayor of New York. This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City. How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!”
Meanwhile, GOP operative Alex deGrasse, an adviser to Stefanik’s campaign, said in his own statement, “This poll is devastating for the Worst Governor in America. Voters want change and a Governor who will fight for them, which is why they will resoundingly reject Kathy Hochul for new leadership in Elise Stefanik if she decides to run for Governor. What is truly remarkable about this poll is that this is before Elise has even formally announced her campaign. There is a reason why Kathy is running scared.”
Stefanik herself boiled down the devastation that Democrats had wrought on New York as she added, “Kathy Hochul’s single party Democrat rule affordability crisis, coupled with the crime crisis from failed bail reform, combined with the sanctuary state policies, putting criminals and illegals first and New Yorkers last, is a political disaster for Hochul.”
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn’t researching current events and their impacts, you’ll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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