New York Governor's Race This Week is a weekly column by USA TODAY Network-New York reporters highlighting aspects of the 2026 campaign to lead the Empire State.
President Donald Trump is headlining a rally in upstate New York on Friday, Oct. 9, to garner support for the state's Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections in less than a month.
The event, which members of the public can request tickets for, is taking place inside the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center in downtown Syracuse. It is expected to begin at 5:30 p.m., with Trump taking the stage at 7 p.m.
While Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman's campaign hasn't confirmed with the USA TODAY Network that he will be in attendance, multiple news outlets have suggested
he will be there. And a social media post made by Blakeman earlier this week advertises his presence at a Syracuse-area sports bar to "Pre-Game the Trump Rally Celebration" an hour before the doors to the event open at 3 p.m.
Blakeman has been seen alongside Trump multiple times this year, including most recently during the president's visit to tour law enforcement facilities in Nassau County in August.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's campaign has repeatedly called attention to Blakeman's Trump ties, previously saying his "obsession" with the president "is a problem for this state and for his campaign, and New Yorkers can see it." The Siena Research Institute's most recent polling in September revealed a majority of New York likely voters, 51-30%, believe Trump’s endorsement of Blakeman will be negatively impact the Nassau County executive's campaign for governor.
NY Democratic Party files campaign financing complaint against Blakeman
Blakeman's ongoing campaign financing struggles have made their way to the state Board of Elections, as New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs filed a complaint about the Republican gubernatorial candidate's campaign fund reporting earlier this week.
Jacobs is calling on the state's Public Campaign Finance Board (PCFB) to "not release any further public matching funds" to Blakeman's campaign "until every pending and previously paid claim has been independently verified." Jacobs also says the Board of Elections' Division of Election Law Enforcement should investigate the Blakeman campaign's disclosure filings.
Blakeman's participation in the state's Public Campaign Finance Program has been a point of contention throughout his campaign as the PCFB initially denied Blakeman access to matching funds in March due to a paperwork error, a decision later reversed in a court battle.
Additionally, more than 2,600 donations worth more than $860,000 in public funds that had been marked by Blakeman's campaign as eligible for the state's campaign finance program, weren't, New York Focus reported.
Blakeman has reportedly requested matching funds for over 1,900 contributions from donors outside of New York, which New York Focus says wrongly stated were from "in-district" donors. Blakeman's campaign told New York Focus that the errors had been corrected and amended reports had been filed.
In Jacobs' complaint, which was filed on Wednesday, Oct. 7, he refers to recent reporting, including from the USA TODAY Network, about the potentially problematic filings and also calls on the PCFB to do the following:
- Deny match requests for contributions from non-New York residents as well as from contributors whose aggregate giving exceeds $1,050 or duplicates another reported contribution.
- Re-examine all claims already paid to Blakeman and recover any excess payment.
- Commence an audit now, instead of after Election Day.
Jacobs noted that he's not asking the PCFB to deny any candidate funds.
"The public matching funds program was created to amplify the voices of New York donors, not to underwrite a campaign's inability, or unwillingness, to follow its most basic rules," Jacobs says in the complaint.
"New Yorkers are entitled to know that their tax dollars are being paid out only on contributions that actually qualify," he continued. "Election Day is less than four weeks away. Once those dollars go out the door, they will be spent, and they will not come back."
Blakeman's campaign has not responded to the USA TODAY Network's questions about the matching funds issues or about the state Democratic Party's recently filed complaint.
Two new polls put Hochul ahead of Blakeman by double digits
Two recently released polls by Marist and Emerson College/PIX 11 News show Hochul leading Blakeman by 11 and 12 points, respectively.
The Marist poll, which was conducted Oct. 1-4 of 1,361 New York registered voters, found the incumbent governor is ahead of Blakeman, 53-42%, with less than a month to Election Day. While Hochul has the advantage with New York City voters, independent and upstate voters are siding with Blakeman.
And in the Emerson poll, which consisted of 900 likely New York voters and was conducted Oct. 3-5, Hochul has a 52-40% lead over her Republican challenger.
"Hochul's lead is driven by strong support among New York Democrats, 84% to 8%, but independents break for the Republican, Blakeman, 55% to 34%, according to Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball.
Kimball added that it's a "notable contrast" to other Emerson polls in this cycle where independent voters "have generally favored the Democratic candidate."
Blakeman super PAC brings moving trucks to Albany and Westchester County
A super PAC backing Blakeman plans to make a scene in Albany and at multiple places in the Lower Hudson Valley on Friday, Oct. 9.
Strong and Safe New York announced it is sending a convoy of moving trucks with messaging on the state's affordability crisis, which they say is pushing residents out of the state, to the state Capitol building and city halls in White Plains, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon and Yonkers.
The super PAC made waves in recent weeks with their "You Are Now Leaving NY (Like Everyone Else)" billboards found in 13 locations across the state, including a bridge from Staten Island to New Jersey, on roads leading into Massachusetts and Vermont and in Rochester, Albany and Brooklyn.
Several big donors had poured $2.3 million into Safe and Strong New York through Aug. 4, according to state campaign finance records. The contributions include $1 million in total from Madison Square Garden bigwig James Dolan and another political committee he supported; $500,000 from Trilogy Advisors in New York City; and $500,000 from documentary film producer and former radio broadcast journalist Caryl Ratner.
Blakeman blasts NY limit on ICE help; NY lawmakers clash with Hochul on federal school tax credit program
Here are some additional topics related to the governor's race that the USA TODAY Network-New York has reported on this week:
- Lawler, Blakeman blast NY limit on ICE help at Westchester event
- NY lawmakers clash with Hochul on federal school tax credit program
- Blakeman campaign spent $10.5M, had $178K left, latest NY records show
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers' taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Trump's rally, campaign finances, new polls top NY governor's race
