New Yorkers are feeling the pinch from higher costs.
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.
The Marist College poll found that a plurality of likely voters — 45% — say their personal family finances have worsened over the past year.
Only 13% of respondents report their finances have improved, while 40% say they have stayed about the same, the poll found.
Democrats (54%) are more likely than Republicans (34%) to say their finances have gotten worse in the last 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.
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. The chickens are coming home to roost,” said veteran campaign strategist O’Brien O.B. Murray.
“New Yorkers are paying more and getting less. They feel it every day,” Murray said.
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.
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?’ Voters like to take it out on someone. It’s the incumbents,” Murray said.
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%.
The race is a little tighter than the Siena University survey also released Wednesday, which has Hochul up by 14 points, 54% to 40%.
The major difference: Marist shows Blakeman leading among “blank” or independent voters not affiliated with a political party, 49% to 39%.
Siena U. claims independents favor Hochul by 10 points after showing Blakemen ahead among indies by 5 points in a prior poll last month..
Meanwhile in the race for state attorney general, the Siena poll finds Democratic incumbent Letitia James leads Republican Saritha Komatireddy 54% to 39%.
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.
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. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for likely voters.
Blakeman slammed both college polls as pro-Hochul.
“Today’s polls are nothing more than voter suppression tactics designed to discourage Republicans and manipulate the outcome of this 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.
“Our polling and internal surveys across the state show a neck-and-neck 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.”
