That’s some news that the gubernatorial race in New York is now a tossup. This, after all, is a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than two to one. So consternation must be the mood of Governor Hochul and her left-wing camarilla. It suggests that her opponent, Representative Lee Zeldin, is getting traction with voters on what could prove to be the Democrats’ Achilles’ Heel this fall — crime.

The toss-up designation was made by RealClear Politics, based on an average of opinion surveys. The polls depict a steadily deteriorating position for Ms. Hochul. The first survey noted, in June, gave her a 24 percent lead over Mr. Zeldin. The most recent, from earlier this month, gives her but a six-point edge over her rival. Another survey within the past few weeks showed Mr. Zeldin trailing by only two points.