Tuesday, April 23`, 2025
Year : 2, Issue: 34
WBEN: A new Siena College poll shows that Governor Kathy Hochul has a positive favorability rating among New Yorkers for the first time since January of 2024.
“It’s a positive change for the governor,” said Siena Pollster Steve Greenberg on WBEN.
“Last month, Governor Hochul’s favorability rating was under water by ten points. (40% favorable, 50% unfavorable). Now it’s positive, barely. 44% favorable to 43% unfavorable. It’s the first time since January of last year that it’s in positive territory.”
Greenberg said the reason for the shift is due to policy issues that the governor
and legislature are fighting over. These are issues that are holding up the state budget.
“Hochul’s proposal to restrict cell phone use in schools throughout the day is supported by 61% of New Yorkers. 19% oppose it. Another proposal that would make it a crime if a person wears a mask to conceal their identity while threatening or harassing someone. 64% of New Yorkers support it. What’s amazing,” Greenberg said, “is that Democrats, Republicans and Independents are in agreement.”
He said the cell phone ban in schools is supported by 61% of Democrats, 62% of Republicans and 61% of Independents. On making masks a crime, 60% of Democrats, 70% of Republicans and 65% of Independents support it. He thinks voters appreciate what the governor is doing on these budget issues.
In the past week, Representative Elise Stefanik has threatened to upend the New York Governor’s race as she considers a challenge to Governor Hochul.
“We were polling before the talk about Stefanik started,” said Greenberg. “Siena did ask questions about a potential Republican gubernatorial primary. We asked registered Republican primary voters about Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and downstate Congressman Mike Lawler. Right now, Blakeman would have a 28% to 22% lead over Lawler. 45% of Republicans said I don’t know.” New York has not had a Republican governor since George Pataki won his 3rd term in 2002.
