Pollster John Zogby, the senior analyst at Zogby Strategies, told Newsmax on Friday that while he believes Republican candidates will pull out wins in several states, including in Wisconsin and New Hampshire, he has his doubts about polls in New York showing Rep. Lee Zeldin with a slight lead in his bid to oust incumbent Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul.
"There is no question about the fact that this race has tightened up," Zogby said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America" about the New York gubernatorial race while noting that, although surveys are showing Zeldin with a slight lead, they are from "polls which have been leaning Republican all year in other races, so I'm a little doubtful that there's a Zeldin lead."
Zogby said he's also examined the "internals" of the polls from Trafalgar and Insider Advantage. While they "seem to be solid polls," he said, there is still a "part of me after having polled New York for 40 years now that's a little skeptical that there is a Zeldin one-point lead or a Zeldin tie."
However, Zogby was more optimistic about Republican numbers in other races but cautioned that there is a "lifetime" between now and Tuesday's Election Day.
In Wisconsin, where GOP Sen. Ron Johnson is facing a strong challenge from Democrat Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes for the seat he's held since 2011, Zogby said the last eight polls showed Johnson in the lead from anywhere from two points to seven points and that "seems to indicate that a consensus is building among voters against Mandela Barnes and for Ron Johnson."
Johnson, Zogby added, "was the most-endangered Republican at the beginning of 2022."
New Hampshire's race between Democrat incumbent Sen. Maggie Hassan and GOP challenger Don Bolduc has also tightened considerably, which Zogby said he finds surprising.
"Maggie Hassan had been leading at one point right after the Republican primary by double digits," said Zogby. "She maintained her lead and then in the last week, it has collapsed slowly and steadily going down to the point where now, one poll out there and a second poll as well showing a one-point advantage but a trend line."
In yet another race, Zogby said he believes Republican Tiffany Smiley can defeat incumbent Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
"A lot of money is being spent and her closing that gap to almost a one-point lead, even a tie, depends on if there is a huge sweep Election Day when Republicans really turn out," said Zogby. "That could be part of the sweep."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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