A political warning is emerging in New York.
A new poll finds that most New York voters are concerned about the growth of socialism and candidates running under the Democratic Socialists of America banner.
The survey, conducted by co/efficient for the right-leaning Coalition to Protect Nassau, asked respondents: “How concerned are you about the rise of socialism and candidates from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Party in New York?”
Of the 1,046 likely voters surveyed, 56% said they were concerned about socialism’s rise in the Empire State, including 44% who described themselves as “very” concerned. By comparison, 44% said they were not concerned.
Concern was particularly strong among Republicans: 85% said they were worried, including 77% who said they were “very” concerned.
Democrats expressed the opposite view, with 62% saying they were not concerned about the spread of socialism and 38% saying they were concerned.
Among voters unaffiliated with a major political party, 58% said they were concerned about growing socialism, including 44% who were very concerned. The remaining 42% said they were either not concerned or not concerned “at all.”
In the governor’s race, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leads Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, 48% to 41%, while 11% of likely voters remain undecided.
Hochul’s advantage has grown by one point since the group’s previous poll in July, when she led Blakeman 47% to 41%.
The firm correctly anticipated in 2022 that Hochul’s contest against then-Long Island Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin would be closer than public polling suggested.
Hochul ultimately won that race by 6 percentage points, matching the margin shown in the coalition’s September 2022 poll.
Two recent independent surveys showed Hochul with leads of 9 points in a Siena University poll, 50% to 41%, and 19 points in a Quinnipiac College poll, 58% to 39%.
Despite leading the governor’s race, Hochul has a net-negative image in the Nassau County Taxpayers poll. Just 36% of likely voters view the governor favorably, while 46% view her unfavorably and 18% are undecided.
Blakeman’s favorability numbers are more evenly divided: 33% view him favorably, 35% unfavorably and 33% are unsure or have never heard of him.
Voters also expressed dissatisfaction with the state’s direction. Fifty-two percent said New York is moving in the wrong direction, compared with 27% who said it is moving in the right direction; the rest did not offer an opinion.
The cost of living and inflation, along with taxes and government spending, ranked as voters’ leading concerns.
Although voters voiced concern about the socialist movement, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, its most prominent face in the state, received higher marks in the poll than Hochul and President Trump.
Statewide, 44% approved of Mamdani’s job performance during his first year, while 43% disapproved and 13% remained undecided.
Trump’s job approval stood at 32%, while 60% disapproved of his performance.
The co/efficient poll, conducted for the Nassau Coalition to Protect Taxpayers, surveyed 1,046 likely voters from Sept. 23 through Sept. 25 using mobile text messages, cellphones and landlines. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
