Nearly half of New York likely voters say they’re financially worse off than they were a year ago, according to startling results from a new survey released Wednesday.
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they → say → survey
The Marist College poll found that a plurality of likely voters — 45% — say their personal family finances have worsened over the past year.
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finances → find → year
Only 13% of respondents report their finances have improved, while 40% say they have stayed about the same, the poll found.
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poll → report → respondents
Democrats (54%) are more likely than Republicans (34%) to say their finances have gotten worse in the last year.
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finances → say → year
Voters feel higher costs for gas groceries, utility bills and housing across the state: 47% of upstaters said they’re worse off financially as did 44% of suburbanites and 42% of New York City voters.
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% → feel → voters
Meanwhile 54% of non-white voters say their family finances are worse, as did 39% of white voters.
“Higher costs have been an issue for years.
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costs → say → years
The chickens are coming home to roost,” said veteran campaign strategist O’Brien O.B. Murray.
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Murray → come → ?
“New Yorkers are paying more and getting less.
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Yorkers → pay → less
They feel it every day,” Murray said.
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Murray → feel → it
He said the Iran war is certainly a factor regarding higher gas prices but added that New York tax and spending policies have long contributed to the pain.
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policies → say → pain
Interest rates on mortgages and housing costs are up, along with rent, taxes, utlility bills and health care costs.
“Every day they pay more and say, `Who do I blame?’
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I → pay → Who
Voters like to take it out on someone.
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Voters → like → someone
It’s the incumbents,” Murray said.
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Murray → ’ → ?
As for the governor’s race, Marist shows likely voters favoring Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman by 11 points, 53% to 42%.
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Marist → show → points
The race is a little tighter than the Siena University survey also released Wednesday, which has Hochul up by 14 points, 54% to 40%.
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which → release → points
The major difference: Marist shows Blakeman leading among “blank” or independent voters not affiliated with a political party, 49% to 39%.
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Blakeman → show → %
Siena U. claims independents favor Hochul by 10 points after showing Blakemen ahead among indies by 5 points in a prior poll last month..
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independents → claim → poll
Meanwhile in the race for state attorney general, the Siena poll finds Democratic incumbent Letitia James leads Republican Saritha Komatireddy 54% to 39%.
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James → find → %
In the race for state comptroller, four-term Democratic incumbent Tom DiNapoli has the backing of 59% of voters compared to 32% for Republican Joseph Hernandez.
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DiNapoli → have → Hernandez
This Marist Poll survey of 1,448 New York State voters was conducted from October 22nd through October 25th via live phone interviewers, by text or online.
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survey → conduct → text
It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for likely voters.
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It → have → voters
Blakeman slammed both college polls as pro-Hochul.
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Blakeman → slam → polls
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Report → start → news
“Today’s polls are nothing more than voter suppression tactics designed to discourage Republicans and manipulate the outcome of this election.
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polls → design → election
Kathy Hochul is desperate to convince New Yorkers this race is over because she knows her failed leadership is on the ballot,” Blakeman said.
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Blakeman → convince → ballot
“Our polling and internal surveys across the state show a neck-and-neck race.
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polling → show → race
The only poll that matters is on Election Day, November 3,” “
Blakeman campaign pollster John McLaughlin said, “Siena’s poll is a gift to Kathy Hochul at a time when she desperately needs one.”
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she → matter → one