A new Siena poll in New York finds Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) with a 52% to 27% lead over Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) in the gubernatorial race, a big increase from the 45% to 31% advantage the poll gave the incumbent a month ago.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) job approval and favorability ratings are up a little from June, but her lead in a potential gubernatorial race against Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) fell to 14 points, 45% to 31%, down from a 23-point lead in June, 47% to 24%, according to a new Siena Poll.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) leads each of three potential Republican 2026 gubernatorial candidates by at least 20 points, according to a new Siena College Poll.

Hochul leads Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman 44% to 19%; she leads Rep. Elise Stefanik 47% to 24%; and she leads Rep. Mike Lawler 44% to 24%.

Said pollster Don Levy: “While the early leads seem large, Hochul is not hitting the ‘magic’ 51% mark against any of these opponents and in each matchup, between a quarter and a third of voters wasn’t able to choose between the two candidates.”

“Rep. Elise Stefanik has a massive edge over other Republicans in a hypothetical party primary to take on Gov. Kathy Hochul next year, a new poll found,” the New York Post reports.

“Some 64% of Republicans would support Stefanik — while only 8% would back Hudson Valley Rep. Michael Lawler.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is preparing to officially launch her campaign for New York governor, The Hill reports.

“When Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York chose Antonio Delgado to be her lieutenant governor in 2022, she had nothing but the highest praise for her new No. 2,” the New York Times reports.

“She said Mr. Delgado, then a rising Black political star who represented a competitive House district, was a ‘battle-tested campaigner.’ She praised his work ethic and said that his ability to “unite communities” would serve her administration’s goals.”

“Three years later, their partnership has completely disintegrated. After months of open political warfare with Ms. Hochul, Mr. Delgado said Monday he would challenge her in next year’s Democratic primary.”

A new Siena Research poll in New York finds just 36% of voters are prepared to re-elect Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), compared to 55% who want “someone else,” a net 10-point negative movement from April.

“President Trump is taking steps to clear the Republican primary field for Rep. Elise Stefanik to run for New York governor, bolstering an ally once poised to serve in his administration,” Axios reports.

“Trump last week endorsed two of Stefanik’s potential rivals for governor — New York Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — for re-election to their current posts.”

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) told Politico his decision about running for governor will come down to whether he thinks he can win the general election, not pressure from Trump.

For members: Trump Boxes in Mike Lawler

New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado (D) “won’t commit to endorsing his own boss, Gov. Kathy Hochul, for reelection in 2026,” Politico reports.

Said Delgado: “My focus right now isn’t on the election. My focus is on governing right now. That’s the focus.”

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) sure sounds like he’s ready to challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in a Democratic primary.

New York Times: “Many lieutenant governors toil in the deep shadows to serve their state governors. But Mr. Delgado has apparently gone rogue, fueling speculation that he may seek to challenge Ms. Hochul’s re-election bid in 2026.”

“He has done little to tamp down the rumors, telling donors that he plans on running for a statewide office. In an interview, he said that he had no ‘intention’ of challenging Ms. Hochul in 2026, but also allowed that he planned to ‘stay ready’ and that he wanted to be an ‘independent actor.’”

Said Delgado: “I definitely plan to be a part of the future of New York. I’m ready to serve in whatever capacity New Yorkers think is best.”

“Some of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s top donors are privately panicking about Republican challenger Rep. Lee Zeldin’s recent surge in the polls ahead of Tuesday’s midterms,” CNBC reports.

“The Republican, who’s been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has closed in on Hochul’s double-digit lead in recent weeks — prompting Hochul’s corporate backers to push her to change tactics, according to these people.”

“New York’s top elections watchdog is investigating whether the campaign of Representative Lee Zeldin, the Republican nominee for governor, violated state law by coordinating with a pair of super PACs supporting his candidacy,” the New York Times reports.

“For months, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York has trusted that the state’s strong Democratic majority would keep her in office largely on the strength of a simple message: Her Republican opponent was too close to Donald Trump and would roll back abortion rights,” the New York Times reports.

“But just two weeks before Election Day, a rapidly tightening contest has Ms. Hochul racing to expand her closing argument as Democrats warily concede they may have misjudged powerful fears driving the electorate, particularly around crime.”

A new Co/efficient poll in New York finds Lee Zeldin (R) in a dead heat with Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), 46% to 46%.

Wall Street Journal: “Mr. Zeldin, a Republican who represents the easternmost parts of Long Island in Congress, has made campaigning in New York City a priority in his effort to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Some recent polls have shown the race tightening, with one survey this week putting Mr. Zeldin 4 percentage points behind the incumbent in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican to statewide office since 2002.”

“His outreach has been focused in areas outside of heavily Democratic Manhattan, such as Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach and the Elmhurst section of Queens. Republican candidates including Donald Trump made gains in those areas in 2020 from 2016.”

A new SurveyUSA poll in New York finds Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) now just 6 percentage points ahead of challenger Lee Zeldin (R), 47% to 41%.

Two months ago, Hochul led by 24 percentage points.