New York Attorney General Letitia James is still ahead in her re-election race, but her lead over Republican challenger Saritha Komatireddy has shrunk by five points over the past month, according to a new poll released Wednesday by Siena University.
The survey shows James leading Komatireddy 52% to 39% among likely voters, down from a 54% to 36% advantage in August. Siena’s margin of error is roughly four points, which means the shift should be read carefully rather than as a sign of a dramatic reversal.
Komatireddy’s Name Recognition Problem
Despite closing the gap, Komatireddy faces a steep climb. More than two-thirds of likely voters told Siena they had either never heard of her or did not know enough to form an opinion. Her favorability rating stands at just 17% favorable and 12% unfavorable, compared to James at 51% favorable and 40% unfavorable.
Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor and Harvard Law graduate, has centered her campaign on crime, public safety and government accountability. She has also attacked James over Medicaid fraud enforcement and other state oversight issues. According to New York AG race polling from Siena, independent voters are closely split, leaning 43% to 40% toward James.
James Losing Ground in New York City
One of the more striking findings in the poll is James’ slipping margin in New York City. She now leads there 62% to 26%, a notable drop from the 71% to 20% advantage she held in the same area in August. She continues to post narrower leads in the downstate suburbs and upstate regions as well.
Both candidates are drawing support from more than 80% of their own party’s voters. The attorney general contest has also played out against the backdrop of James’ civil fraud case against President Donald Trump and his companies, which resulted in a large financial penalty before a state appeals court later vacated the monetary award while leaving the underlying fraud findings in place.
What Comes Next for Both Candidates
Elsewhere on the statewide ballot, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leads Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman 50% to 41% in the same Siena poll, a margin largely unchanged from August. The attorney general race has moved more noticeably over that same period.
With Election Day weeks away, Komatireddy’s central challenge is converting her recent polling gains into statewide name recognition. James, meanwhile, enters the final stretch still holding a double-digit lead, but with a smaller cushion than she had just a month ago.
