(The Plaza at Central) — A recent study reveals that a majority of people believe New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is disconnected from the everyday lives of her constituents, which has resulted in a decline in her approval rating.
Hochul’s favorability rating dropped to 41-46% from 45-42% in the previous month’s Siena College survey of likely New York voters, while her job approval rating dropped to 48-47% from 52-43%.
After posting her highest favorability and job approval ratings in almost a year last month, according to Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg, Hochul’s ratings dropped by a net eight points this month, “with her favorability rating slipping back into negative territory, where it spent most of 2023.”
“Downstate suburban voters and Democrats saw the biggest declines in Hochul’s favorability and job approval ratings, possibly due to her budget proposals, her efforts on issues that mattered to voters, or the recent, highly publicized special election in Queens and Nassau,” according to Greenberg.
In the meantime, pollsters reported that the study revealed a large number of voters do not believe the first-term Democrat is aware of the issues facing the people of the state.
According to Greenberg, “a plurality of voters—including a majority of Republicans and a plurality of independents—think Hochul is disconnected from the everyday people of New York.” “Even Democrats are closely divided.”
According to polling data, there is “good news” for Hochul, according to Greenberg. While Republicans are evenly split, the majority of people, including a majority of independents and a small plurality of Republicans, believe she works hard and that she is not corrupt.
“A plurality of all voters and a majority of Democrats also think Hochul is honest,” he stated. “The general public is evenly divided, even though Democrats believe she is a strong and capable leader.”
In 2022, Hochul made history as the first elected female governor of New York when she defeated Republican opponent Lee Zeldin in a closer-than-expected contest. She was second in command to Governor Andrew Cuomo for seven years before she assumed the position after he resigned due to allegations of sexual harassment.
The high cost of living in New York is one of the main issues that voters want Hochul and state lawmakers to solve, followed by immigration, crime, and housing shortages, according to a Siena poll conducted between February 12 and 14. However, the order of such problems varies based on the political party that voters belong to.
“The top three issues for Democrats are cost of living, housing and migrants,” Greenberg stated. Republicans are concerned about crime, cost of living, and immigration. Independents cite crime, immigration, and expense of living.”
