New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is looking to win reelection and serve her first full six-year term as senator of the Empire State.
Gillibrand succeeded Hillary Clinton's senate seat following the Clinton's appointment as Secretary of State for the Obama administration in 2009. Now for reelection in 2012, Gillibrand's hopes for a second term are likely to come in a landslide.
Gilibrand is running against Republican Wendy Long, an attorney who has garnered support from former New York Governor George Pataki, former UN Ambassador John Bolton, to television host Sean Hannity, to name a few.
Based on current polling figures, the incumbent has been leading with over 40 percent of the votes.
Starting with the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion poll conducted from Oct. 18 to Oct. 21, Gillibrand received 68 percent of the survey to Long's 24 percent among the 565 likely voters - a 44 percent spread.
The Siena College poll conducted from Oct. 22 and Oct. 24 with 750 likely voters also shows Gillibrand with a commanding lead of 43 percent. The incumbent received 67 percent to Long's 24 percent.
"Gillibrand won her election two years ago by a 63-35 percent margin, a decisive win. This year she appears headed to an even larger victory as she currently holds a 67-24 percent lead over Long," said Siena pollster Steven Greenberg. "Gillibrand has the support of 86 percent of Democrats, she has a three-to-one lead among independent voters, and she even gets 33 percent support among Republicans, compared to Long's 56 percent."
SurveyUSA also has Gillibrand leading, by 42 percent. The incumbent is down compared to the Marist and Siena polls with 64 percent but Long is also down two percent with 22 percent.
When it comes to Gillibrand's favorability rating, she received 51 percent while 13 percent considered unfavorable, 24 percent were neutral, and 11 percent had no opinion.
Long's favorability rating was at 16 percent to 20 percent unfavorable. Perhaps due to low promotion of Long, 33 percent were neutral while 30 had no opinion of her.
According to Ken Lovett of Daily Politics, Long has stated, "I don't know what to say except that [the polls are] wrong," she said. "The only poll that's really going to matter is Nov. 6."