Hochul's lead over Blakeman widens, two-thirds of voters unfamiliar with GOP candidate

Politics Unusual: 1:1 with Hochul, NYC Council Minority Leader Carr

In this week's episode of Politics Unusual, FOX 5 NY's political reporter Morgan McKay sits down for an exclusive interview with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Also, a conversation with NYC Council Minority Leader David Carr.

NEW YORK - The latest Siena Poll reveals that despite a dip in her approval rating, Gov. Kathy Hochul's lead over Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman remains strong.

Hochul's lead widens

By the numbers:

The governor's favorability rating currently sits at 41%, her lowest rating since June 2025.

Still, Hochul's lead over Blakeman does not seem to be affected by the dip; the governor currently leads him 49% to 33% (up 3 points from the month previous).

Mamdani expected to endorse Gov. Hochul for re-election

FOX 5 NY's Robert Moses has the latest. 

One major issue Blakeman is experiencing with his gubernatorial campaign is notoriety – nearly two-thirds of New York voters are either unfamiliar with him or hold no opinion of the Republican nominee.

Of those that know the Nassau County executive, 17% hold a favorable view of him, as opposed to the 19% who do not.

Politics Unusual: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman

In this week's episode of Politics Unusual, FOX 5 NY's political reporter Morgan McKay speaks with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman about his gubernatorial campaign.

Majority of NYers believe US is headed in ‘wrong direction’

Big picture view:

The sharp divide between Democrats and Republicans in the state lies in their opinions on how the federal government is enforcing immigration policies. Nearly 75% of liberal voters feel the country is headed in the wrong direction in regard to enforcement, which is almost a total reversal of conservative voters (70% on the right track).

Trump addresses immigration, sanctuary cities

"The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens." President Donald Trump speaks on immigration at his State of the Union.

However, the two parties come together when discussing affordability. The majority of both Democrats and Republicans in New York feel that the United States is not on the right track when it comes to tackling the issue.