Quinnipiac's first poll of the race: Hochul 58%, Blakeman 39% among likely voters, a 19-point margin released hours after Siena showed 9

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,026 likely voters Sept. 17-20 (MOE ±4.1, live-interviewer phone). Hochul leads 58-39 with 2% undecided; independents split 51-45 for Hochul, upstate 49-46 for Blakeman. Cost of living (28%) and the economy (21%) are the top issues, and voters citing either back Hochul by roughly two to one. Hochul job approval is 48-44; 34% say they have not heard enough about Blakeman. Siena's poll released the same morning had the race at 50-41. City & State notes that in 2022 Quinnipiac's single October poll (Hochul +4) was closer to the final 6-point result than Siena's. Quinnipiac says it will poll the race again before Nov. 3.