GOP lead in N.Y. special election narrows

Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco leads Democratic businessman Scott Murphy by just four percentage points in New York’s special congressional election, as the latest Siena College survey shows the race to still be close.

Tedisco led 45 to 41 percent just two weeks after he led by 12 in the same poll. The new margin is just outside the 3.7-percent margin of error.

{mosads}Tedisco and Murphy are battling for appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-N.Y.) former House seat. The special election will be held March 31.

A Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) poll released this week showed Murphy within 7 percent, while a Tedisco poll from early February had the well-known legislator up 21 points.

The newest Siena poll is the only one of the polls conducted this month, as the DCCC poll was from late February.

“Murphy continues to do a better job of holding the support of Democrats than Tedisco does with Republicans,” Siena spokesman Steven Greenberg said. “The big turnaround from two weeks ago, however, is among independent voters, who previously gave Tedisco a significant 45-31 percent lead, and now favor Murphy by a 43-37 percent margin.”

Democrats have opted to spend money on the race and are beginning to talk up their chances, while Republicans have begun to lower expectations on the race. The GOP holds a large registration advantage in the district, but Gillibrand won reelection in 2008 with more than 60 percent of the vote.

Murphy’s campaign said the gains are evidence of the Democrat’s strong economic message.

“Local businessman Scott Murphy’s grassroots campaign has been building momentum since Day One with his call for significant middle-class tax relief, putting people back to work, and his real-world experience of helping to create over 1,000 jobs,” spokesman Ryan Rudominer said.

Tedisco’s campaign said it always expected a tough race.

“The campaign has said from the very beginning that this race will be a competitive, hard-fought contest,” spokesman Joshua Fitzpatrick said. “The facts are that Jim Tedisco has led in every single poll, he continues to lead and he is taking nothing for granted.”

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) weighed in on the race Wednesday by sending nearly $90,000 in mailers on Murphy’s behalf.