The recently released Sienna Poll shows voters now approve of the job Governor Kathy Hochul is doing, 48-45%, up from 46-48% last month.
Hochul’s favorability rating leave her just one point to play with 44-43%. She is viewed as favorable by just a hair. Currently, 39% of voters are prepared to re-elect Hochul, compared to 48% who want ‘someone else’.
“For the first time since January 2024, Hochul has a positive – barely – favorability rating, and for the first time since February 2024, a plurality of voters approves of the job she is doing as governor,” Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said.
Voters do support four issues Hochul is advocating for in the budget – restricting student smartphone use during the school day, 61%, making it a crime to wear a mask to conceal identity while threatening someone, 64%, amending the discovery law, 43%, and making it easier to involuntarily commit someone with mental illness, 45%.
“Now, here’s something you don’t see every day in the modern political world. On four policy proposals that Hochul has said must be part of the final budget, there is strong bipartisan agreement, with widespread support among Democrats, Republicans and independents for each,” Greenberg said.
Schumer vs. AOC
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has his lowest favorability in 20 years of Siena polls while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) has her best rating yet.
Political pundits like to talk about whether Schumer is getting too long in the tooth and that he may be vulnerable to a younger, more legitimately Progressive candidate. Could that candidate be AOC? Is she ready to take on a statewide race? Is her brand of Progressive Leftism something that will bring in voters between NYC and Buffalo?
Schumer has a 39-49% favorability rating, down from 45-41% in February. It is the first time his favorability rating has been negative since June 2024, and the worst it has ever been in a Siena College poll dating back to February 2005. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has a 47-33% favorability rating, up from 38-39% the last time Siena asked about her statewide, January 2021.
“Among eight elected officials and each house of the State Legislature, AOC has the best favorability rating. She is viewed favorably by 64% of Democrats – more than Hochul or Schumer – and she is viewed unfavorably by 60% of Republicans. Independents are evenly divided 39-39%,” Greenberg said. “While Schumer’s fifth term runs through 2028, Ocasio-Cortez has established herself as a New York Democrat to watch.”
“A first in a Siena College poll: Schumer is 10 points underwater, with a plurality of voters viewing him unfavorably. While he continues to be viewed unfavorably by more than two-thirds of Republicans and a majority of independents, Schumer saw his standing with Democrats, particularly liberals, fall dramatically,” Greenberg said. “Democrats view Schumer favorably 52-38%, down from 68-23%, and he’s still viewed favorably by a plurality of liberals, 47-41%, but that’s down from 68-21%. New York City voters are barely favorable, 47-44%.