NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Gov. Kathy Hochul's favorability rating has climbed to its highest level in nearly a year at 45%—though a majority of New York voters are also doubtful she'll make progress on five goals she laid out at her 2024 State of the State address, according to a new Siena College poll out Monday.
The poll found Hochul has a 45-42% favorability rating among registered voters—up from 40-43% in November.
It's the first time more voters have held a positive view of her over a negative one since February 2023, when it was 46-43%.
Meanwhile, the governor's job approval rating has also seen a significant bump, jumping to 52-43% from 48-44% in November. That's the best it's been since March 2023.
"Her favorability rating, although not wonderful is up a little bit from November, our last poll," Siena College pollster Steve Greenberg told 1010 WINS on Monday. "It's the best favorability rating she's had since last February, so nearly a year."
Her popularity is largely carried by Democrats, 72% of whom view her favorably. That's compared to 51% of independents and 77% of Republicans who view her unfavorably, according to the poll.
Even as her approval rating has been on the rise, New Yorkers expressed doubt when asked if she'd be able to make progress on five issues she championed at this month's State of the State address. The goals included making New York safer, a more desirable place to live, and the A.I. capital of the world, as well as fixing its mental health care system and increasing its housing supply.
By a 54-33% margin, respondents said she won't make living in New York more desirable. And by a 44-26% margin, they said she won’t make the state the A.I. capital of the world. When it comes to crime, 49% believe she won't make the state safer, while 39% think she will. On housing, 45% said she won't increase the housing supply, while 39% said she will. And a similar margin, 47-37%, said she won't fix the state's mental health care system.
The poll also found 28% of voters, including a majority of Republicans, don't believe the governor has been successful on any major issues facing the state, including health care, education, crime, housing and the migrant crisis.
This poll was conducted Jan. 14-17 among 807 New York registered voters, who were contacted by landline or cellphone.