The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a poll conducted last month that had Nancy Goroff leading Representative Lee Zeldin, 48 percent to 46 percent, in the race to represent New York's First Congressional District.
Ms. Goroff, who is on leave from Stony Brook University, where she is chairwoman of the chemistry department, bested three competitors, including Perry Gershon, the Democrats' 2018 nominee, and Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming, in winning her party's June 23 primary election.
The poll, a live caller survey of 400 likely general-election voters conducted between Aug. 5 and 10, also showed former Vice President Joe Biden leading President Trump by six percentage points, 51 to 45 percent, in the district, which Mr. Trump won by 12 points in 2016. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
Fifty-six percent of the poll's respondents disapprove of the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the campaign committee.
"Nancy will bring fact-based solutions to the table to tackle some of the most pressing issues Suffolk County families face, starting with how to keep her community healthy and safely get folks back to work during the coronavirus crisis," Christine Bennett, a committee spokeswoman, said in a statement. "The more voters get to know her, the more they trust Nancy, and she is well positioned to flip this seat come November."
The Cook Political Report updated its prediction for the contest last month, moving the district from "likely Republican" to "lean Republican."