In a surprising turn of events, incumbent Republican congressman Mike Lawler from New York has taken a lead over his progressive opponent, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mondaire Jones, according to a recent poll conducted by PIX11, The Hill, and Emerson College. The poll, conducted from Oct. 24 to Oct. 26, found Lawler leading Jones by a margin of 49% to 44% in the upcoming election for New York’s 17th congressional district.
Lawler saw a four-point increase in support compared to an earlier poll conducted by Emerson College. Interestingly, despite Lawler’s lead, the district still leans blue in presidential election polls, with half of voters supporting President Kamala Harris and 47% supporting former President Donald Trump.
The poll also revealed that the top issue for voters in the district is the economy, followed by immigration, housing affordability, crime, and threats to democracy. Additionally, 50% of voters feel worse off financially compared to a year ago.
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, highlighted a significant gender divide among voters, with men breaking for Lawler by 27 points and women breaking by 16 for Jones.
Lawler recently faced controversy after photos of him dressed in blackface as Michael Jackson in 2006 surfaced. He apologized for any offense caused, stating that his costume was intended to be complimentary. Fox News Digital reached out to both the Lawler and Jones campaigns for comments.
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