Results

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At G Ratings, we conducted a statewide survey to measure electoral preferences and New York’s political climate ahead of the November 2026 general election.

The results show Kathy Hochul leading Bruce Blakeman in the gubernatorial race, while Laura Gillen holds a substantial advantage in the contest for New York’s 4th Congressional District.

We surveyed 1,000 registered New York voters between August 8 and August 12, 2026. Participants confirmed that they intended to vote in the upcoming election.

Kathy Hochul leads the governor’s race by 5.3 points

When respondents were asked whom they would support if the New York gubernatorial election were held today, Kathy Hochul received 46.8% of voter preference.

The results were:

1. Kathy Hochul, Democratic: 46.8%
2. Bruce Blakeman, Republican: 41.5%
3. Other candidate or none: 7.8%
4. Undecided: 3.9%

Hochul leads Blakeman by 5.3 percentage points, giving the Democratic candidate an advantage in a competitive statewide race.

Neither leading candidate reaches 50%, while 11.7% of respondents remain undecided or prefer another option. This segment is more than twice the current difference between Hochul and Blakeman and could influence the final outcome.

Laura Gillen holds a commanding lead in New York’s 4th District

At G Ratings, we also surveyed voter preferences in the 2026 general election for U.S. representative in New York’s 4th Congressional District.

The results show a substantial advantage for Democrat Laura Gillen:

1. Laura Gillen, Democratic: 75.1%
2. Jeanine Driscoll, Republican: 20.2%
3. Undecided: 4.7%

Gillen leads Driscoll by 54.9 percentage points and receives support from more than three-quarters of respondents in the measured matchup.

Only 4.7% remain undecided, indicating that voter preferences in this congressional contest are largely defined.

The economy is New York voters’ main concern

At G Ratings, we presented respondents with a list of major issues and asked them to identify the most important challenge facing New York.

The economy ranked first by a considerable margin:

1. Economy, including jobs, inflation, and taxes: 38.8%
2. Crime: 15.5%
3. Something else: 11.4%
4. Healthcare: 11.3%
5. Immigration: 7.2%
6. State of democracy: 6.5%
7. Abortion access: 4.5%
8. Foreign policy: 3.6%
9. Education: 2.2%

Economic concerns received more than twice the support registered for crime, the second-highest issue.

The results indicate that jobs, inflation, and taxes are central to the decisions New York voters may make in the 2026 elections. Crime also remains a significant concern, selected by 15.5% of respondents.

Healthcare and other unlisted concerns registered nearly identical percentages, with 11.3% and 11.4%, respectively.

Democrats represent the largest political group

When participants were asked about their political affiliation, Democrats accounted for the largest segment of the sample.

The results were:

1. Democratic: 46.9%
2. Republican: 30.8%
3. Independent or other: 22.3%

Democrats outnumber Republicans by 16.1 percentage points. Independent and other voters represent more than one-fifth of respondents, making them an important segment in statewide electoral competition.

Demographic profile of respondents

The survey included New York voters from different gender, age, and ethnic groups.

The gender distribution was:

1. Male: 52.3%
2. Female: 40.9%
3. Other: 6.8%

The age distribution was:

1. 18 to 29 years: 10.2%
2. 30 to 39 years: 25.9%
3. 40 to 49 years: 10.7%
4. 50 to 59 years: 35.5%
5. 60 to 69 years: 7.8%
6. 70 years or older: 9.9%

The ethnic distribution was:

1. White or Caucasian: 68.8%
2. Hispanic or Latino of any race: 12.7%
3. Black or African American: 11.3%
4. Other or multiple races: 5.7%
5. Asian: 1.5%

Survey methodology

At G Ratings, we conducted the fieldwork from August 8 through August 12, 2026, using self-administered digital questionnaires accessible on mobile devices and computers.

We surveyed 1,000 New York residents aged 18 or older who confirmed that they were registered to vote and intended to participate in the upcoming election.

The study used a non-probability sampling design balanced by relevant demographic and geographic variables, including gender, age group, region, education level, and ethnicity.

The data collection process employed Odysseus, a technological platform developed by G Ratings by GobernArte S.C. The platform incorporates algorithmic models and Artificial intelligence tools to maintain a distribution consistent with reference population parameters.

Quality controls were implemented during fieldwork to validate response consistency and exclude incomplete or atypical questionnaires.

For a sample of 1,000 completed questionnaires, the theoretical margin of error is estimated between ±3.5% and ±5%, assuming a 95% confidence level and simple random sampling. Because the study used a non-probability design, this range should be interpreted as an approximate statistical reference rather than an exact estimate of total study error.

The questionnaire completion rate was approximately 50% among eligible individuals who began the digital survey.

G Ratings used New York voter registration data to compare the party registration of respondents in the sample with statewide registration figures.

At G Ratings, we present these findings exclusively for informational and public opinion research purposes. The survey was commissioned, conducted, funded, and analyzed by G Ratings. It was not commissioned or funded by any potential candidate, candidate, political campaign, or political party.