LOUDONVILLE, New York (WWNY) – About the same number of people who view New York’s first woman governor favorably don’t know enough about her to form an opinion.
Weeks into her governorship, Kathy Hochul has a 42-17 percent favorability rating, but 41 percent say they don’t know her or don’t know her very well.
That’s according to a poll from Siena College released Tuesday morning. It shows voters’ attitudes toward Hochul, Andrew Cuomo, and mandates for vaccines and masks.
“It may be too early to call it a honeymoon, however, voters across the partisan spectrum say that they think Hochul will be successful in ensuring in-person public school education (69-16 percent), leading the state through natural disasters (65-16 percent) and controlling the spread of COVID (61-24 percent),” pollster Steven Greenberg said. “While most think she will be successful in revitalizing the state’s economy and balancing tenant/landlord rights, a plurality of Republicans think she will be unsuccessful in each of those efforts.”
Close to three-quarters of those polls are excited to have a female governor. More than half — 52 percent — say she’ll take a more collaborative approach to governing than her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo.
About two-thirds of New Yorkers agree with the former governor’s decision to resign rather than remain in office.
Those polled gave Cuomo his worst favorability ever, 34-55 percent. His rating throughout his tenure as governor was a more favorable 50-48 percent.
Fifty-six percent say he sexually harassed several women. Those accusations led to his downfall and to his decision to leave office rather than face impeachment over them.
Voters support public schools requiring teachers and staff to be vaccinated 69-26 percent, businesses like gyms and restaurants requiring customers to show vaccination proof 66-32 percent, and employers requiring employees to be vaccinated 65-31 percent.
Seventy-eight percent support school districts requiring teachers, staff, and students to wear masks and 74 percent support government requiring masks in indoor public facilities.
The poll was conducted September 7-12 among 700 registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
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