Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has embarked on an eight-city statewide tour in a final effort to sway voters in the closing 48 hours before Election Day. The campaign swing began Sunday on Long Island and is set to include stops in Oswego, Albany, Rensselaer County, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, and Manhattan.
Blakeman stated, “We are leaving no stone left unturned,” during a campaign event on Long Island. The candidate plans to make brief visits to each city, many of which lean Democratic, in an attempt to energize potential supporters.
The intensive tour comes as Blakeman trails incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul by double digits in multiple polls. Unofficial election data indicates that registered Democrats have outnumbered Republicans in early voting across the state, including in the traditionally Republican stronghold of Long Island. However, studies suggest that Republicans are more likely to vote on Election Day.
Blakeman expressed his hope that this last-minute push will encourage undecided or disengaged New Yorkers to cast their ballots for him on Tuesday. A recent poll by Convos indicated that 83% of Long Islanders have already made up their minds, though it did not directly compare Hochul and Blakeman’s support.
Despite the challenging polling numbers, Blakeman remains optimistic about his chances, asserting that the race is a "dead heat." He anticipates a surge in Republican turnout on Election Day, dismissing some polls as "university-woke-polls" and citing others that place him within the margin of error, less than four points behind Hochul. "This is a turn-out election," Blakeman added.