The race to be Governor of New York has tightened recently as Republican challenger Lee Zeldin has closed the gap and made the race a ‘toss-up’ against Democrat incumbent Kathy Hochul. 

A RealClearPolitics average of polls taken between September 30 to October 12 shows Hochul’s lead over Zeldin has dwindled to just 5.3 percent – with 7 percent of voters yet to decide. 

Zeldin, a US army veteran and congressman from Long Island, was down by as much as 24 points back in August, and his late surge shows the rising crime in New York may be beneficial to the tough-on-crime candidate. 

He is also benefitting from the fact Republicans are more likely to vote, and his supporter base is more enthusiastic than Hochul’s, Lee M. Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, said in a statement. 

‘Although Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. Senate lead in very blue New York, the race for governor still bears watching,’ he added.

Lee Zeldin, a Republican congressman from Long Island, is edging closer to Democrat incumbent Kathy Hochul in the race for governor in New York

Hochul, who took over when former governor Andrew Cuomo was ousted for claims of sexual harassment, has seen a surge in crime under her administration

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been criticized for being lax on New York City’s rising crime – and Zeldin has pledged to fire him on day 1 of his tenure should he win

Miringoff also said ‘any shift in crime’ is likely to benefit Zeldin as the race comes to a close, and New York City has seen a surge this year. 

Zeldin has promised to fire Manhattan’s District Attorney Alvin Bragg immediately upon entering office. 

Bragg has been widely criticized for his lax attitude towards crime, including his frequent decisions to let violent criminals back on the street with bail.

‘I’m not in this race to come in second. I’m all-in. I’m over 18 months into this race, campaigning all throughout this entire state,’ Zeldin said earlier this month. 

‘One of the reasons why I got into the race was because of these pro-criminal law that have been getting passed out of Albany,’ he added. 

Hochul has criticized Zeldin for his ties to former President Donald Trump, who held a fundraiser for the candidate in September. 

She has also slammed his views on abortion in an attempt to resonate with voters in the historically blue state. The state has not had a Republican governor since 2006. 

The news comes as Democrats around the country are sounding the alarms over Republicans getting closer to snagging seats and governorships. 

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Arizona Republican candidate for governor and close Trump ally Kari Lake is locked in a tight race with Arizona’s Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs for governor of the state.

Among the ‘ultra MAGA’ candidates who are close allies of Donald Trump and support his baseless claims that President Joe Biden lost the 2020 election, Lake is seen as among the likeliest to win in November.

Among the ‘ultra MAGA’ gubernatorial candidates who are close allies of Donald Trump, Arizona’s Kari  Lake is seen as among the likeliest to win in November 

President Joe Biden spent two days in Portland, Oregon, in an effort to stop the state electing its first Republican governor in 40 years

The GOP nominee in Oregon Christine Drazan has a narrow lead in polls, and has won the backing of Oregon’s richest man, Nike co-founder Phil Knight

Polls show the Arizona governor’s race as among the most competitive on the ballot this year

Lake, 53, is a former TV news host who quit the business last year after several decades. She is skilled at creating viral moments through bombastic attacks on reporters and the mainstream media.

Experts say Lake’s lack of governing experience and telegenic personality are major positives in the current era of American politics, where outsider credentials and snappy soundbites can win the day.

Even President Joe Biden scrambled to help his desperate party when he participated in a rally for Oregon governor candidate Tina Kotek, who is neck-and-neck with GOP nominee Christine Drazan. 

A mix of high crime, homelessness and an independent spoiler candidate has propelled Drazan into first place.

‘As long as Trump controls the Republican Party, he’s going to have incredible impact on state legislative bodies,’ Biden told the crowd at the Pacific Northwest Carpenters Institute.

He said the role and impact of governors was increasing exponentially. 

‘It’s a race that matters well beyond the state of Oregon,’ he said.

Voters have been drifting away from the Democratic Party in the region, disillusioned with leaders who have softened laws on hard drugs and presided over record increases in crime.

Now they are flirting with electing the state’s first Republican governor since 1982 -when Men at Work were at number one and Diet Coke had just been launched.