New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s job approval and favorability rankings are up slightly from earlier this summer season, however her lead over a possible race for governor towards Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik subsequent yr has fallen from 23 factors to 14 factors, in keeping with a Siena College ballot of registered voters launched Tuesday.
In response to the ballot, Hochul has a 42-44% favorability score, up barely from 42-47% in June. Her job approval score is 53-42%, up from 50-45% in June. Stefanik’s favorability score is 27-32%.
Almost half of voters say they’re a minimum of considerably accustomed to the North Nation congresswoman, however solely 29% of voters say she has the best expertise to be governor and a 49-37% plurality imagine it will be dangerous for the state if she was elected, the ballot discovered.
“Whereas the Governor can trumpet her greatest job approval score since March 2023, Stefanik can spotlight that greater than a yr out from a possible match-up, Hochul’s lead over Stefanik is simply 14 factors, 45-31%, down from 23 factors in June, and that Hochul doesn’t hit ‘the magic 51% mark,’” Siena Faculty pollster Steven Greenberg mentioned in a press release. “Greater than two-thirds of Democrats are with Hochul and three-quarters of Republicans are with Stefanik. Independents are carefully divided, leaning towards Stefanik, after favoring Hochul in June.”
Regionally, Greenberg mentioned that New York Metropolis voters stay solidly behind Hochul, however downstate suburban voters went from favoring Hochul by 11 factors in June to narrowly favoring Stefanik now, and upstate voters had given Hochul a 12-point lead, and are actually just about evenly divided.
“Stefanik clearly has room to develop with voters – both positively or negatively. Whereas 49% of voters say they’re very or considerably accustomed to her, 46% should not very or in no way accustomed to Stefanik,” Greenberg mentioned.
Relating to the landmark tax legislation not too long ago handed by Congress and signed into legislation by President Donald Trump, often called the “Huge Stunning Invoice,” 36% of New York voters need the state to handle potential decreases in federal funds by decreasing state providers, in comparison with 24% who wish to see state taxes raised, and 16% who volunteered that the state ought to do each. Greater than two-thirds of voters say they’re very (43%) or considerably (26%) involved that the laws will end in rural hospitals in New York closing.
“Greater than three-quarters of Democrats, almost two-thirds of independents and half of Republicans are very or considerably involved that cuts within the BBB will pressure many rural hospitals in New York to shut, regardless of invoice supporters of the BBB saying it contains extra funding to keep away from rural hospital closures,” Greenberg mentioned. “At least 63% of voters from each area of the state are involved about closures.”
With the legislation eliminating federal Medicaid funding for these in New York who lack authorized standing, a powerful majority of voters, 51-34%, are against the state spending $3 billion to proceed offering well being care to these people.
Relating to the president, Trump has a detrimental 37-56% favorability score in New York, in comparison with 37-60% in June. His job approval score stands at 41-58%, from 39-59% in June.
“Greater than two-thirds of Republicans assume Trump is succeeding enhancing America’s standing on the earth, defending the rights of all Individuals, and making certain Individuals really feel safer. However a minimum of three-quarters of Democrats and about half of independents say he isn’t succeeding,” Greenberg mentioned. “Overwhelming majorities of Democrats and independents say Trump will not be succeeding making requirements extra inexpensive and ending wars world wide. And about one-quarter of Republicans additionally say he’s not succeeding on these points.”
The ballot discovered voters are divided on a possible constitutional modification to permit mid-decade redistricting in New York if different states do it, a problem delivered to mild by Republicans’ present efforts in Texas to regulate their congressional maps. A plurality of Democrats helps it whereas pluralities of Republicans and independents oppose it.
“There’s overwhelming bipartisan help for requiring retail institutions to just accept money, offering funding to police departments for youngster look after officers, and proscribing smartphone use in faculties,” Greenberg mentioned. “On proscribing smartphones in faculties, help is down from Might – when it was supported 67-16%. Help remains to be sturdy throughout the political and geographic spectrum.”
Voters are nonetheless pessimistic concerning the path of the state, with 41% saying the state is heading in the right direction and 45% saying the state is headed within the unsuitable path.
The Siena ballot was carried out Aug. 4-7, amongst 813 registered voters in New York and has an total margin of error of +/- 4.2 proportion factors.
