New Siena Poll: Is Hochul gaining favorability in NY?

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Siena College released another poll of New Yorkers conducted by the Siena College Research Institute. This new poll surveyed 802 registered voters in New York about their thoughts on Governor Kathy Hochul and her budget proposals, President Donald Trumps administration proposals, and the favorability of Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

For the first time since January 2024, Hochul saw positive movement when it came to favorability, job approval, and re-elect ratings. Of those polled, 44% have a favorable opinion of her and 43% do not, which is up from 40-50% in March.

48% of voters approve of the job Hochul is doing as governor, up 2% from last month. The amount of voters prepared to re-elect Hochul is up 5% with 39% of those surveyed saying they'd vote her in again versus the 34% who said the same back in March.

Hochul has overall positive support from voters surveyed in the poll when it comes to four of the issues being addressed in the budget this year: restricting student smartphone use at school has 61-19% support, making it a crime to conceal one's identity with a mask while threatening someone has 64-24% support, amending the discovery law has 43-24% support, and making it easier to involuntarily commit someone with mental illness has 45-31% support.

“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,” Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said. “At the same time, half of voters say that they are aware that the state budget has not yet passed and is late. And more than two-thirds of voters say they are very (31%) or somewhat (41%) concerned that the budget has not yet passed."

When it comes to Trump's Administration proposals, the overall consensus is opposition among those surveyed. Over 50% of everyone surveyed opposes the proposals to put a 10% tariff on imports, to order the Department of Justice to investigate two officials from Trump's first term, to put a tariff of more than 100% on Chinese imports, to lay off tens of thousands of federal workers, and to cut federal funding to all states, including New York.

“A strong majority of Democrats opposes each proposal, as do a majority or plurality of independents. A majority of Republicans supports both tariff proposals, and a plurality supports DOJ investigations of Trump critics and laying off tens of thousands of workers. However, a plurality of Republicans joins 76% of Democrats and 56% of independents in opposing cuts to states, including New York, in federal funding,” Greenberg said.

Trump's favorability rating is up 1% from March, sitting at 40%. Only 42% of those polled approve of the job he is doing as president. Between 52% and 55% of voters disapprove of the job Trump is doing on reducing cost of living, improving the economy, and enhancing the country's reputation.

“Although Trump’s favorability and overall job approval ratings barely moved, there was one noticeable demographic that shifted – independents,” Greenberg said. “While more than three-quarters of Democrats give Trump negative grades on both this month and last, and more than three-quarters of Republicans give him positive grades on both this month and last, a majority of independents gave Trump positive grades on both last month and give him negative grades on both this month.”

Schumer has a negative overall favorability rating in this poll at 39-49%, which is down from 45-41% in February. This is the first poll where he is viewed this unfavorably, per Greenberg.

Ocasio-Cortez, however, is up from a 38-39% favorability rating to 47-33%. The last time the state was surveyed about their opinion on the representative was in January 2021.