The contest for the position of New York State attorney general is becoming more competitive. A recent poll indicates that Democratic incumbent Letitia James’ lead over Republican Saritha Komatireddy has decreased by 5 points.
According to the Siena University survey, James, who is 67, currently has a 13-point advantage, garnering 52% of the vote compared to Komatireddy’s 39%. This marks a decline from her previous 18-point lead of 54% to 36% noted in an earlier poll conducted in August.
A significant hurdle for 42-year-old Komatireddy is that approximately two-thirds of potential voters have either not heard of her or lack sufficient information to form an opinion, as highlighted by Siena pollster Steven Greenberg.
Greenberg stated, “Unless Komatireddy can find a way to become more recognized by likely voters in the coming weeks, James seems to be in a favorable position as the campaign approaches its final stretch.”
James, who has held the position of attorney general since 2019, is vying for a third consecutive term. Before that, she served as New York City’s public advocate and was a councilwoman in Brooklyn.
Komatireddy is actively campaigning and attempting to connect with the families of crime victims. Recently, Migdalia Martinez, a Bronx mother mourning the loss of her 12-year-old son Jacob, who was shot and killed in July, came out in support of Komatireddy in a new advertisement.
Komatireddy also conducted a press conference at the Intrepid Museum on Tuesday, pledging to confront issues related to homeless encampments and to address the challenges faced by individuals with mental health issues on the streets.
Her background as a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn included managing prominent cases involving international terrorism, cyber crime, drug trafficking, money laundering, and public corruption.
In the meantime, James remains in the spotlight, recently filing another lawsuit against the Trump administration. This lawsuit alleges that the administration provided energy companies $1.4 billion to cancel key offshore wind projects.
James has gained national recognition for her legal actions against Trump and his company concerning allegations of fraud. Additionally, she led an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, which ultimately contributed to his resignation in 2021, despite his denials of any wrongdoing.
Switching gears to the race for state comptroller, Democratic incumbent Tom DiNapoli, who has been in office since 2007, currently leads Republican opponent Joseph Hernandez by 56% to 33%.
The Siena University Poll was conducted between September 11-17, involving 1,144 likely voters via mobile and landline phones and text messages, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
