It appears the challenger for the top spot in New York state is failing to gain ground on the incumbent through the spring.

In the head-to-head matchup, Gov. Kathy Hochul increased her lead to 20 points over Bruce Blakeman, 52-32%, from 16 points, 49-33%, in April, according to a new Siena Poll of New York State registered voters released this week.

Hochul has a 43-44% favorability rating, up a little from 41-46% in April, and her job approval rating is 53-42%, up from 48-44% in April. Nassau County Executive Blakeman also saw his favorability improve to 25-21%, from 17-19% in April.

“Governor Hochul now has a break-even favorability rating, and a majority of voters approve of the job she’s doing as governor. Hochul gained a little ground against Blakeman, who despite having his best ever favorability rating, still has a majority of voters not knowing him or not knowing enough about him to have an opinion. Her lead is now 20 points, up from 16 points in April,” Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said. “While 78% of Democrats favor Hochul and 79% of Republicans support Blakeman, independents now lean toward Hochul by five points, after tilting toward Blakeman by two points in April. She has also widened her lead in the downstate suburbs from four points in April to 11 points, 49-38%, today,” Greenberg said. “Hochul has a better than three-to-one lead in New York City, and she and Blakeman are virtually tied upstate.”

The cost of living was identified as the most important issue facing New Yorkers by 53% of voters, and one of the two most important by 77%. Affordable housing finished second (13% top issue; 37% top two issue), followed by crime (11%; 31%). Immigration, Iran and the environment were each identified as the top issue by fewer than 10% of voters, and a top two issue by fewer than one-quarter. Voters say the proposed Constitutional amendment to allow for both mid-decade redistricting and partisan map drawing is bad for New York, 44-21%.

“A clear majority of voters think the cost of living is the most important issue they are facing and an overwhelming majority, 77%, say it is one of the two most important issues for New Yorkers,” Greenberg said. “A majority or large plurality of Democrats, Republicans, independents, upstaters and downstaters, men and women, young and old, Black, Latino or white all say that cost of living is the most important issue. At least 72% of each of those groups of voters say cost of living is one of the two most important issues.

“While affordable housing and crime are the second and third most important issues – they are also the next two for most demographic groups, although the order varies – they are a distant second and third. Slightly fewer than one-third of New Yorkers think crime is one of the two most important issues – only 11% say it’s the top issue – a far cry from the banner headline issue it was just a few years ago,” Greenberg said.