Two recent polls show the gubernatorial race in New York tightening, as Republicans continue to focus their messaging on crime and the economy.

While incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul boasted a 17-point lead over Republican challenger Rep. Lee Zeldin a month ago, new polls show the race is tightening ahead of election day. Siena College reported an 11-point lead for Hochul in a recent survey, while Quinnipiac University gives her far more grim prospects with just a 4-point advantage.

With Election Day just under three weeks away, the poll results are starting to cast a shadow on the race, where Republicans have lost statewide contests for the last 20 years.

Zeldin has consistently employed a strategy that hammers his opponent on crime and the rising costs of living in New York throughout his campaign and further received a bolster this weekend after former President Donald Trump endorsed the long-time New York representative.

An early supporter of Trump, Zeldin downplayed the endorsement Monday, saying it "shouldn't have been news."

Zeldin downplaying Trump's endorsement came as an ad run by the Hochul campaign focused a brighter light on the close relationship Zeldin has had with Trump over the years, including his vote against certifying the 2020 election, which came after a riot of Trump supporters disrupted the process by storming the Capitol.

However, Zeldin's inroads in areas of New York that have been historically Democratic has come because of his focus on crime, which has gone up in recent months. Crime polled well as a focus issue in New York City especially, which likely resulted in Zeldin's uptick in percentage points.

The Quinnipiac poll found that 28% of respondents actually found crime to be the most urgent issue that New York is facing, while, abortion, which has been a cornerstone of most of Hochul's ads, only received 6% of the vote.

However, Hochul still has a healthy lead according to FiveThirtyEight, despite the gap closing on the Siena and Quinnipiac surveys. According to their model, Hochul still has a 9.6% advantage over Zeldin.

New York Trump Elections