Metro

Poll: Dem Latimer, GOP Hanna lead in Senate races

ALBANY — It’s status quo in two key state Senate races – and that could be good news for Republicans trying to hold their slim majority.

Democratic Assemblyman George Latimer leads Republican Bob Cohen in the redrawn Westchester district of retiring Democrat Suzi Oppenheimer, and GOP Assemblyman Sean Hanna leads Democrat Ted O’Brien for the redrawn Rochester-area district of retiring Republican James Alesi, a Siena College poll found.

But Hanna’s got more breathing room with an eight-point lead, 47-39 percent, while Latimer is clinging to a three-point edge, 44-41 percent, the Sept. 27-Oct. 1 telephone survey of likely voters found.

Senate Democrats say the GOP has poured nearly $4 million combined into the two races and predicted the tide will turn once their side starts spending.

Both districts include more enrolled Democrats than Republicans, but in both the GOP candidate leads among independent voters.

And in the upstate district, Republican Hanna is comfortably ahead even though President Obama is crushing GOP challenger Mitt Romney there by 53-39 percent.

Romney edges Obama in the downstate district by one point, 48-47, according to the poll.

Republicans hold a 33-29 majority in the Senate – their only power source in state government – and enjoy a major campaign cash advantage as next month’s elections approach.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points in Westchester’s 37th district and 4.6 percentage points in the upstate 55th district.