NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Former Congressman Tom Suozzi, the Democratic nominee in the race to replace disgraced Congressman George Santos, holds a slight lead according to a PIX11/Emerson College poll of likely voters released just a few days before Election Day.
Suozzi is the choice of 50% of respondents, while Mazi Pilip, a Republican Nassau County legislator, is the choice of 47% of very likely voters in New York’s 3rd Congressional District.
When pollsters asked the small number of undecided voters to make a choice, Suozzi's lead grew slightly to 50%-48%.
The margins are similar to the PIX11/Emerson College Polling survey done in January, although the number of undecided voters has greatly decreased with residents of the district making up their minds.
NY-3 is a closely watched swing district that will generally be considered a bellwether race for full congressional elections later this year. It has devolved at times into mudslinging, particularly with millions in TV ads pouring into the Nassau County and Eastern Queens district. However, the mid-February timing of the election and the lack of other races on the ballot, "which candidate comes out on top next week will depend on turnout,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
Suozzi appears to have an edge heading into Election Day, which is Feb 13. Of those surveyed, 59% of early voters and those who have already cast ballots preferred Suozzi. Of those planning to vote on Election Day, Pilip has a slight edge with 51%.
There are also clear divides within the district when looking at race and age. About 56% of white voters favor Pilip, while 75% of Asian American voters favor Suozzi. Suozzi is also getting about 60% of those under the age of 30, and Pilip is getting 54% of those over the age of 70.
During PIX11’s NY-3 special election forum, both candidates said they would be willing to cross party lines once in Congress. This may explain why voters are pretty evenly divided on the issues. The starkest difference the survey highlights is abortion: 56% of voters support Suozzi on the issue of abortion access, even with Pilip pledging not to support a national abortion ban.
Voters also slightly prefer Suozzi to handle the Ukraine-Russia war. Pilip is an immigrant from Ethiopia by way of Israel and once served in the Israel Defense Forces. Voters trust her more by a slight margin on the Israel-Hamas war. They also slightly prefer Pilip on tax policy and border security.
The Emerson College Polling/PIX11 New York Third District poll was conducted Feb. 4-5, 2024. The sample consisted of 742 “very likely” voters and those who already voted early, with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.
Article From:
pix11.com
English (US) ·