Syracuse Post-Standard: November 4, 2018

Former Syracuse mayor Stephanie Miner (2 percent), who is making an independent bid for governor, and Green Party nominee Howie Hawkins (2 percent) of Syracuse were struggling to break out of the pack days before the election, the poll found.

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By Mark Weiner

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's lead over Republican Marc Molinaro has declined nine points in the final month of the 2018 race for governor, according to a new poll made public Sunday.

Cuomo still has a comfortable lead over Molinaro (49-36 percent) ahead of Tuesday's election, the Siena College poll of likely voters found.

But Molinaro has gained ground since he trailed by 22 points (50-28 percent) in the Siena poll at the end of September.

Molinaro cut into the governor's lead as voters expressed the most unfavorable view of Cuomo in his eight years in office, the poll found. More voters now view Cuomo unfavorably (49 percent) than favorably (45 percent).

The poll of 641 likely voters was conducted by telephone calls to landlines and cell phones from Oct. 28 through Thursday (Nov. 1). The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Steve Greenberg, a spokesman for the Siena poll, said the latest survey found Molinaro now leads among independent voters (41-34 percent). The Dutchess County executive trailed among independents by 10 points at the end of September.

Molinaro also leads in Upstate New York by 10 percentage points over Cuomo (46-36 percent) but Cuomo has the overall edge based on the strength of his support in New York City (77-14 percent).

About 7 percent of voters remained undecided ahead of Tuesday's election.

Three third-party candidates are favored by a combined 7 percent of likely voters, led by Libertarian Larry Sharpe (3 percent).

Former Syracuse mayor Stephanie Miner (2 percent), who is making an independent bid for governor, and Green Party nominee Howie Hawkins (2 percent) of Syracuse were struggling to break out of the pack days before the election, the poll found.