A new Marist Poll finds Governor Kathy Hochul’s approval rating remains underwater in New York, with a majority of residents opposing her bid for re-election and expressing growing dissatisfaction with the state’s direction.
Just 39% of New Yorkers approve of Hochul’s job performance, unchanged from a year ago, while 46% disapprove—a slight increase from 42% in April 2024. Only 13% strongly approve of her leadership, compared to 31% who strongly disapprove. More broadly, 56% of New Yorkers rate her performance as either fair or poor, while just 35% view it as excellent or good.
More than half of residents—57%—say they do not want Hochul to seek another term in 2026, including 40% of Democrats. At the same time, 53% of New Yorkers say she is not a good leader for the state, a marked decline from October 2021, when 56% said she was.
The discontent extends beyond the governor. A slim majority of respondents (51%) say they want Hochul to compromise with former President Donald Trump, while 48% prefer she oppose him as much as possible. A clear partisan divide exists: 70% of Democrats want Hochul to resist Trump, while 85% of Republicans urge compromise.
Economic concerns dominate the mood of the electorate. Sixty-four percent of adults statewide believe New York’s economy is deteriorating, up from 51% a year ago. Only 9% believe the economy is improving. Just 27% of residents expect their personal finances to improve in the next year, while 36% expect them to worsen.
A staggering 82% of New Yorkers say the cost of living is unaffordable. The survey also found 58% oppose the state’s congestion pricing policy, viewing it as an unfair tax on commuters. Support for the measure, which aims to reduce traffic and fund the MTA, stands at 38%.
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