LOUDONVILLE, New York (WWNY) – Even though Gov. Kathy Hochul is largely viewed favorably, a large number of New York voters don’t think she’s doing a very good job.
A Siena College poll released Monday showed Hochul’s favorability rating at 44-34%, down slightly from last month’s 45-35%.
But her job performance rating fell from 53-53% last month to 36-57%.
“Hochul’s overall job performance rating, the worst it’s ever been, is 21 points underwater,” pollster Steven Greenberg said, “after being 11 points underwater last month and just 2 points underwater at the start of the year.”
The poll shows she gets poor marks from Republicans and Independents. Democrats still view her favorably, but that fell to 55-42% from last month’s 63-33%.
Where Hochul really falls short, Greenberg said, are with the hot-button issues of crime and economics.
“On fighting crime, only 24% of all voters and 37% of Democrats give her a positive rating, compared to 69% and 58%, respectively, who rate her as doing only a poor or fair job,” he said. “Addressing economic issues, 63% of all voters and 48% of Democrats give her a negative rating.”
As far as her chances of election to a full term, 45% say they’d vote for “someone else” if she’s the Democrat’s candidate, while 40% will vote for her.
Among Democrats, 62% would elect her to a full term, down from 71% last month.
Bail reform
One thing that New Yorkers are happy about is the changes the governor and Legislature made to the 2019 bail reform laws, although many don’t think it will have much of an effect on crime.
The changes met with 67-14% approval. Despite that, 38% say the amended law will have no effect on the crime rate, compared to 32% who say it will decrease the crime rate, and 16% who say it will increase it.
Gas tax
Voters also overwhelmingly support another move the Legislature and governor made, suspending the state’s 16-cents-gallon gas tax through December.
“At least two-thirds of voters of every demographic group — party, region, age, gender, race, income, religion, ideology — approve of the state suspending its share of the gas tax between June and December,” Greenberg said.
Overall, the move has 73-16% support.
Buffalo Bills stadium
One thing New Yorkers don’t appear happy about is the state contributing $600 million towards a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
Overall disapproval is 63-24%.
“It’s opposed by at least 55% of every demographic group,” Greenberg said.
He said disapproval is stronger in upstate New York than in downstate.
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