James' Lead Over Komatireddy Shrinks in New York AG Race, Poll Finds

The race for New York State attorney general is tightening, with Democratic incumbent Letitia James' lead over Republican challenger Saritha Komatireddy shrinking by 5 points, according to a new Siena University poll released Wednesday.

James, 67, now leads former federal prosecutor Komatireddy, 42, by 13 points, with 52% of likely voters supporting James and 39% backing Komatireddy. This marks a decrease from an August Siena poll, which showed James with an 18-point lead.

A significant challenge for Komatireddy is her low name recognition, as two-thirds of likely voters either have not heard of her or do not know enough to form an opinion, Siena pollster Steven Greenberg stated. "Unless Komatireddy can find a way to get more known to likely voters in the next few weeks, it appears that James is in a strong position heading into the home stretch of the campaign," Greenberg added.

James, who has served as New York State AG since 2019, is seeking a third term. Her prior public service includes roles as New York City public advocate and a Brooklyn councilwoman.

Komatireddy has been running an active campaign, including connecting with families of crime victims. Migdalia Martinez, whose son was killed by a stray bullet in July, recently endorsed Komatireddy in a new advertisement.

Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, previously handled high-profile cases involving international terrorism, cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and public corruption in Brooklyn's Eastern District of New York.

Meanwhile, James remains a prominent figure, having recently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding energy companies and offshore wind projects. She also gained national attention for her prosecution of Donald Trump and his business for alleged fraudulent practices and for her investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which preceded his resignation.

In the race for state comptroller, Democratic incumbent Tom DiNapoli leads Republican challenger Joseph Hernandez by 56% to 33%, according to the same Siena poll.

The Siena University poll surveyed 1,144 likely voters between September 11-17 via mobile, landline phones, and text messages. The poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.