Trafalgar Poll: Rep. Lee Zeldin Closing Ground on Dem Gov. Hochul Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
By Eric Mack | Sunday, 04 September 2022 08:54 PM EDT
In one of the more promings poll results for the Republican Party in New York to date, Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., is just percentage points outside the margin of error against incumbent Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul in the latest poll by The Trafalgar Group.
Hochul has led by more than double digits in most previous polls, but her lead is just 4.4 points in the latest Trafalgar poll. Trafalgar has been regarded as one of the most accurate pollsters in recent elections since 2016.
Former Trump administration Amb. Richard Grenell hailed the poll result as promising for the GOP in the historically Democrat-led state.
"Lee Zeldin is within striking distance to be Governor of New York," Grenell tweeted. "Get to work New Yorkers! You can flip this seat and save the state."
Hochul drew 47.8% support to Zeldin's 43.4% among likely midterm election voters in New York. Trafalgar's poll surveyed 53.6% Democrats and 27.5% Republicans in a state long dominated by the left.
The poll also surveyed more female likely voters (54.3%) compared to men (45.7%). New York is a state Democrats have campaigned heavily on the abortion issue after the Supreme Court overruled the Roe v. Wade precedent, kicking abortion law back to the states.
The Trafalgar Group polled 1,091 likely general election voters Aug. 31-Sept. 1. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.