ROOKE: New Jersey Governor’s Race Heats Up As Polling Gives GOP Candidate Chance To Win
What do you think will happen?
SHOCK POLL: Republican leads NY Governor Hochul one year before the election
New York City voters may be on a different page than the rest of the state.
Despite Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani maintaining a significant advantage in the polls ahead of the NYC mayoral election, one Republican is looking to flip the state red next year.
For example, 60% of registered voters in New York ... either strongly support or somewhat support returning to the pre-2019 bail laws.
RealClearPolitics has Mamdani boasting a 15-point lead average across the last six polls in October. With around 46 points, Mamdani's lead has only widened since July.
In new numbers from the Manhattan Institute, the Democratic socialist and alleged communist maintains that lead over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a former Democrat now representing the Fight and Deliver Party.
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa is third, 24 points behind Mamdani and nine points behind Cuomo.
At the same time, however, pollsters asked respondents how they would vote if the 2026 N.Y. gubernatorial election were held today.
Shockingly, Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) held a slim margin over Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul. Stefanik's lead was just one point, 43% to 42%, while "someone else" had 9% support, and "not sure" was at 7%.
RELATED: LGBTQ champion Zohran Mamdani faces backlash over photo with 'anti-homosexuality' Ugandan lawmaker
Stefanik's team responded to the news:
"In a heavily Democrat-leaning state, an independent poll that is heavily weighted toward registered Democrat voters shows Republican Elise Stefanik leading Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul in a head-to-head matchup," Stefanik's spokesperson Bernadette Breslin said in a press release.
Breslin said it was the first time in decades that any Republican candidate for governor of New York has polled ahead of a Democrat incumbent.
The remarks continued, "In a decision that she will come to regret, Kathy Hochul lives up to her title as the worst governor in America when she chose to bend the knee and put New Yorkers LAST by desperately endorsing the defund the police, tax-hiking, raging anti-Semite socialist Zohran Mamdani who will destroy New York."
Though rumors have swirled for months that Stefanik intends to run for governor, she has not formally announced her candidacy. Reports indicate that she will announce sometime after the November 4 election.
RELATED: Cuomo narrows gap in new poll
While Mamdani maintains a strong lead in the city, some of his progressive policy positions range from somewhat unpopular to widely unpopular in updated polling.
For example, 60% of registered voters in New York, including 49% of Democrats, either strongly support or somewhat support returning to the pre-2019 bail laws. This pertains to allowing individuals to be "released until trial rather than being held."
Mamdani has said he wants to reduce the jail population, specifically at Rikers Island.
One of Mamdani's biggest promises, free bus services, saw 58% of New York City respondents oppose the idea. This figure included 48% of Democrats. Meanwhile, 42% of Democrats agreed with the idea that eliminating fares would make public transit more affordable and efficient for working New Yorkers while reducing conflicts between riders and operators.
Other topics — like New York's gifted and talented programs, corporate taxation, and fare evasion — were covered in polling conducted with 600 likely voters in the NYC mayoral election and 300 registered voters across New York state between October 22 and 26. The poll was weighted to reflect the electorate.
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U.S. politics is a tinder box right now, and leftists like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker keep striking matches.Bill Maher attempts risky intervention on Trump-deranged pal Rob Reiner: 'You have to talk to people'
A casual conversation turned into a deprogramming session when Bill Maher recently hosted the notoriously Trump-hating director Rob Reiner on his "Club Random" podcast.
Maher urged the MAGA-mad mogul to see the importance of keeping communication open with his political opponents, citing Barack Obama's skill at dealing with Republicans during his presidency.
'Every fiber of your being wants to be like, "I got to get this person to not see it that way."'
"Politics is about making deals. It's about bargains," Maher said, lamenting that liberals like Reiner are not willing to work with the current administration.
Tokin' moderate
Reiner, meanwhile, countered that today's GOP is beyond reasonable discussion.
Maher, noting that the Democrats do not have "any power," said that the idea of purposely not having conversations with conservatives is a pointless endeavor.
"The idea of, 'We don't talk to you when we don't even have the power?' Of course, you have to talk to people," Maher explained.
But Reiner interjected.
"Before you have an exchange, you have to agree on certain facts," Reiner said.
Return to condescender
Maher's tone switched, the way it often does when he himself is speaking to someone he completely disagrees with.
"No, you don't. You can't. Once you start down that road ... you just have to talk to people," the host said.
The portly producer then offered up an example that showed he does not see much worth in talking to someone who is on a different page.
RELATED: Bill Maher urges left to stop comparing Trump to Hitler
“No, no, you talk to people," Reiner asserted. "But if somebody says, 'Two plus two is four,' and the other guy says, 'No, it's not,' how do you begin the discussion?” he asked.
"Because, Rob, that’s a slippery slope," Maher replied, already sounding defeated.
"If you start down that road of, 'I can't talk to you if you believe this crazy thing,' you just can't," he continued.
Reiner, 78, legitimately seeming like he wanted to hear Maher's advice, asked, "What do you do?"
A player's prayer
The "Real Time with Bill Maher" host admitted that while he has never been married, his experience in long-term relationships has led him to be able to accept the fact that he doesn't have to agree with everything someone says.
"It's very like a relationship. ... And I know there are moments where the person is believing something, and you just — every fiber of your being wants to be like, 'I got to get this person not to see it that way, 'cause I just think it's f**king nuts.'"
But if that person wants that relationship to last, Maher continued, they will have to learn "three little words that are most important to any relationship."
"They're not, 'I love you.' They're, 'Let it go,'" he revealed. "Sometimes you just have to let it go."
RELATED: Chris Pratt mocks Trump haters for being 'allergic' to good policy, defends RFK Jr.
Over the moon
Maher gave examples of speaking with someone who does not believe the lunar landing of 1969 happened, or even Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom he disagrees with on many topics.
The reason Democrats need to reach across the aisle is because there were a lot of places where "the Democrats did f**k up," Maher said.
On his list of DNC gaffes was the U.S.-Mexico border, DEI initiatives in colleges, and "elite universities, where the kids are raised to be these anarchist, America-hating anti-Semites, and there is zero diversity of opinion."
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Tens of thousands flock to Charlie Kirk memorial as massive crowd forms at dawn
Massive crowds have already formed ahead of Charlie Kirk's memorial in Glendale, Arizona.
Almost seven hours before the service was scheduled to start at State Farm Stadium, tens of thousands were already gathered outside the venue.
New videos from the parking lot showed seemingly never-ending crowds of Kirk supporters, with a sea of people formed as early as 4 a.m. local time.
'America is turning out for Charlie!'
"It's just 4am here in Arizona, and the line for Charlie Kirk’s memorial is now a SEA of TENS OF THOUSANDS of patriots," reporter Nick Sortor wrote on X. "This is HISTORIC! America is turning out for Charlie!"
The colossal turnout has already bumped the estimated crowd of 100,000 to more than 300,000, according to on-the-ground reports.
"The true scope of the crowd for Charlie Kirk in Arizona — WOW," Eric Daugherty, assistant news director for Florida's Voice, wrote on X.
Daugherty showed an enormous group of supporters, but what was perhaps more impressive was how orderly and calm the crowd was, even with five hours or so before the event starts.
"Original estimates of 100K bumped to up to *300,000.* This is going to be one of the most remembered days in modern US history," Daugherty added.
RELATED: WATCH LIVE: Charlie Kirk memorial service with President Trump, JD Vance, and Erika Kirk
Charlie Kirk Memorial: LIVE at State Farm Stadium | Glendale, AZ
The passion and support for Kirk could be felt even on the way to the venue, as many social media users posted about the positive atmosphere as they traveled on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
"Entire airplanes full of passengers are singing 'Amazing Grace' as they touch down in Phoenix for Charlie Kirk's funeral!" South Carolina candidate Mark Lynch wrote, sharing a video from inside an airplane.
"Lots of people on my flight discussing Charlie Kirk. The energy in Phoenix tomorrow is going to be unbelievable," conservative commentator John Doyle wrote on X.
RELATED: Free speech is more than a slogan. It’s a duty.
Traffic and crowds have filled the streets en route to the stadium with what seems like an limitless line of people and cars.
Supporters were camped out on the street since Sunday night in front of Desert Diamond Arena, which is a 15-minute drive from State Farm Stadium.
Other reporters showed lines wrapped around the fence line of the football stadium since the break of dawn.
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Democrat pushes sick claim that Charlie Kirk wanted to 'roll back the rights' of black people and women
A congresswoman reversed course to condemn Charlie Kirk just hours after voting to honor him.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) was one of 95 Democrats who voted in favor of honoring Kirk's "life and legacy" on Friday in a House resolution. The vote came just over a week after Kirk was assassinated, allegedly by a young male who was dating a transgender person.
'... Kirk’s racist, anti-American views.'
In total, the resolution received support from both Democrats and Republicans with a 310-58 vote. While 58 Democrats voted against and another 22 did not vote at all, Sherrill's about-face afterward was all the more confusing considering that she voted in support of the resolution.
In statement posted to her X account, Sherril wrote that while she supports free speech, she still thinks Kirk has "vile" views.
"I take my oath to the Constitution seriously. I believe in free speech. And that the First Amendment wouldn’t be necessary if it were only meant to cover language we agreed with," Sherrill stated. "It is meant to protect people like Charlie Kirk who present vile dissenting views. But it is also meant to protect teachers, doctors, and TV comedians who may express views the president doesn't like."
Then the New Jersey Democrat claimed that Kirk supported restricting the rights of women and black people.
RELATED: Sinclair backs out of airing Charlie Kirk on its ABC stations — here's what it did instead
— (@)
"Charlie Kirk was advocating for a Christian nationalist government and to roll back the rights of women and Black people — this flies in the face of every value I hold dear and that I fight for," Sherril continued. "But the Constitution protects free speech, even for those I vehemently oppose."
Sherrill then stated that President Trump "defines hypocrisy at every turn" and is "instigating a witch hunt worthy of Joseph McCarthy to shut down the free speech rights of anyone who disagrees with Kirk’s racist, anti-American views."
The 53-year-old noted in her final paragraph that she considers Kirk's murder to be "horrific" and said it is "up to all of us to stand against political violence."
"In these times, I will continue to condemn political violence, racism, attacks on women, and the hypocrisy coming from Trump and his acolytes," she concluded.
RELATED: Why Charlie Kirk's murder is 'about me' — and anyone else they dehumanize as a 'Nazi'
Sherrill is running for governor of New Jersey in November as the Democratic Party candidate. She will run against Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
Ciattarelli responded to Sherrill's comments, writing on X, "Mikie Sherrill's hypocrisy knows no bounds."
He also described her comments about Kirk as "inexcusable and disqualifying."
Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) responded to Sherrill's remarks directly in her comments section with, "You can't just say crap like that — especially when it's not true."
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He May Have Pulled The Trigger, But Charlie Kirk’s Suspected Killer Didn’t ‘Act Alone’
The alleged 'radicalized' assassin did not get to this moment on his own. Investigation details show a young man steeped in leftist dogma.Today's top stories
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