ex-gov. Andrew Cuomo's popularity is beginning to recover in the Imperial State, but his potential revival is not from Democrats, suggesting a newly released statewide Siena University poll.
Cuomo, who is running for mayor of New York City, is not popular with all New Yorkers. March 2022. The vote came last week a few days after he officially entered the mayoral race.
Less than a year after resigning amid a cascade of scandals, Cuomo was 32% ahead of the board and 60% disadvantage.
However, during that time, Cuo received roughly the same amount of support from the Democrats. It's 50% in 2022, and now it's 51%.
His growing favor in the polls appears to be driven by a surge in support from Republicans and a decline in hostility. Just 12% of Gopers thought positively about the government they were embarrassed about in 2022, compared to 25% in a survey conducted last week.
The new polls are the first side-by-side comparisons between Cuomo and Gov. Kathy Hochul since the March 2022 survey. At the time, Hochul had a net favor of 10%, with 45% valuing her favor.
Her numbers have now been dragging underwater for several months, with 10% net concern being negative, 40% being advantageous and 50% being disadvantaged.
Given the 4% error margin in the poll, Hochul's topline count is surprisingly similar to that of Cuomo.
Hochul receives more support from Democrats – 57% support her – and the women support 6% more than Cuomo.
But overall, Democrats look pessimistic about their leadership in New York.
Only 47% of Democrats said New York is on the right track for the wrong direction. I asked the same question in a March 2022 survey by Siena, but 64% of Democrats said they were on the right track.
Mayor Eric Adams' popularity remains on life support, with only 30% of New York voters looking at him favorably compared to the disadvantaged ones.
Only 34% said they would re-elect Hochul, but a majority (56%) said they prefer someone else.
The governor easily cancels marginalized governor Antonio Delgado, according to polls, and repeats primary and critic Rep. Richie Torres (D-ny).
The polls had a faint glow of hope in Hochur. They were asked separately to rank how she approves the work she is doing as governor. 46% said they were strongly or somewhat approved, compared to 48% who were somewhat or strongly disapproved.
“Hochul's positive reviews have remained stubbornly negative territory since last February, but her overall job approval rate is close to the break-even mark,” said Steven Greenberg, a voting spokesman for Siena College.
Polls have confirmed that Hochul's work “makes New York a safer place to make New York a safer place to live and work,” and more New Yorkers have approved efforts to ensure “access to quality healthcare” and “protect the constitutional rights of all New Yorkers.”
However, poll respondents were unhappy with her progress in making New York a more affordable place to live and work and “working with the Trump administration to benefit New York.”
The survey asked New Yorkers for their opinions on controversial congestion pricing.
The $15-phase traffic toll has earned slightly more support than opposition from New York City residents voted by Siena, but it is still not popular across the state.
33% of respondents across the state were asked how they felt about the elimination of tolls, and 40% said they should go. Another 16% said they were in the middle, and 11% said they didn't know.
“Several voters want traffic congestion prices to be removed, as Trump wants. The pluralism of New York City voters and Democrats hopes congestive pricing remains.
“In June 2024, voters approved a temporary suspension of Hochul, with a congestion price of 45-23%. In December, voters opposed Hochul's announcement of a re-challenge of congestion price tolls, with 51-29%,” Greenberg added.
