Exclusive | One NY Republican opens massive lead in possible primary to face Gov. Kathy Hochul: poll
Upstate 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.Some 64% of Republicans would support Stefanik — while only 8% would back Hudson Valley Rep.Michael Lawler, the survey of 1,108 likely Republican voters conducted by the firm co/efficient found.Another 6% polled said they’d support Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in a hypothetical matchup, while 22% are undecided or back another candidate ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial race.“Among the most likely contenders Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is widely known AND widely loved,” co/efficient pollster Ryan Munce said.
“Over the last several years, Stefanik has become a fixture in both statewide and nationwide politics and is the face of change for New York State.”Still, Munce was surprised that Stefanik amassed a 56- percentage point lead over Lawler, a popular lawmaker and also a rising star in the GOP.“If I had my chips on the table, I thought Lawler would be in the mid-20s percent,” Munce told The Post.“Typically, this early in an election cycle, a significant percentage of voters are still undecided and waiting to see who else may join the race,” the pollster added.“Today in New York, that is not the case.
Minds are made up and Elise Stefanik looks all but guaranteed to be the Republicans’ choice to become the next Governor of New York.”Stefanik, Lawler and Blakeman are eyeing a run for governor against the Democratic incumbent but no formal campaigns have kicked off — yet.Stefanik, first elected to the House in 2014, has more widespread name recognition and popularity among Republican voters than Lawler or Blakeman, according to the poll.For example, 64% of Republicans had a favorable view of Stefanik, 11% an unfavorable view and 24% had no opinion or did not know her.By comparison, 25% of Republicans had a favorable view of Lawler, 9% an unfavorable view but a whopping 66% we...