With two weeks left until the election, according to the latest poll released on October 22nd, Vice President He Jinli has widened her lead over former President Trump in New York state. The congressional races in New York are fierce, especially the precarious situation of the incumbent Republican congressmen in Long Island, with the Democratic opponents taking the lead in the Fourth District.
The poll conducted by Newsday and Siena College among New York state voters shows that He Jinli leads Trump by 19 percentage points, with 58% support compared to Trump’s 39%. This gap has increased by 6 percentage points from last month’s 13-point lead for He Jinli (55% to 42%).
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand maintains a 57% approval rating, while the Republican challenger, former NYPD detective and businessman Mike Sapraicone, lags behind at only 31%, maintaining a significant 26-point difference between the two.
The congressional races in New York state are fiercely competitive, especially in the districts of the two incumbent Republican congressmen in Long Island. In the Fourth District representing the central and southern parts of Nassau County, Congressman Anthony D’Esposito’s support is at 41%, significantly trailing behind Democratic challenger Laura Gillen at 53%, a 12-point difference. In the First District representing most of Suffolk County, Congressman Nick LaLota has a support rate of 47%, while his Democratic opponent and former CNN anchor John Avlon has a support rate of 44%. LaLota only leads by 3 percentage points, within the margin of error, making it a close race.
This year’s election not only determines who will take the White House but also controls the House of Representatives. The Democrats hope to flip five Republican-held congressional seats in the New York metropolitan area to regain control of the House, while the Republicans aim to expand their narrow 8-seat lead.
In addition, the Democratic Party in New York state is pushing for a ballot measure, the “Equal Rights Amendment,” to expand the anti-discrimination protections in the New York state constitution. A staggering 69% of voters expressed support for the amendment, with over three-quarters of women voters indicating their support. The Republicans warn that if this ballot measure is passed, it will prevent local governments like Nassau County from legislating against transgender athletes participating in women’s sports competitions, leading to unfair competition.