HUDSON VALLEY- Incumbent Democrat Pat Ryan holds a 14-point lead over Republican challenger Jackie Auringer in the 18th Congressional District race, according to a new poll conducted for Ryan’s campaign.
The Global Strategy Group survey of 500 likely general-election voters found Ryan leading Auringer 53 percent to 39 percent, with 8 percent undecided or otherwise not choosing either candidate.
The poll also found Ryan performing better than a generic Democrat in the district. A generic Democrat received 46 percent support compared with 41 percent for a generic Republican, a 5-point margin.
“Pat fights every day to build the more affordable, safe, and free Hudson Valley that our kids deserve to grow up in,” a Ryan campaign spokesperson said. “In Congress, he has been laser focused on delivering for our community, from helping return more than $45 million dollars constituents were owed by federal agencies to introducing bipartisan legislation as part of his Affordability Agenda. The heart of this campaign is about taking on the fights that matter most to our community — lowering your utility costs, putting more money in your pocket, going after the greedy corporations jacking up your grocery and housing costs. Our team takes nothing for granted, and we’ll be knocking more doors and talking to more voters than ever before.”
Team Auringer criticized the poll.
“The only thing less reliable than a Pat Ryan poll…is Pat Ryan who spent the past year double crossing old friends, allies and constituents to appease the DSA,” said Auringer campaign adviser, Dave Catalfamo.
The survey found Ryan has significantly higher name recognition than Auringer. Seventy-seven percent of voters said they knew who Ryan was, while 17 percent said they knew Auringer. Ryan also held a 46 percent to 31 percent favorable rating, according to the poll.
Among voters surveyed, 61 percent said Ryan is connected to the Hudson Valley community, while 60 percent said he stands up to President Donald Trump. Fifty-eight percent said Ryan looks out for middle-class families, while the same percentage described him as honest and trustworthy. Fifty-six percent described him as a strong leader.
The poll was conducted from July 23 to 26 among 500 likely voters in the NY-18. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.