Low Poll Numbers: New York Voters Show Mixed Feelings for Governors and Presidents

Kathy Hochul, the Democratic governor of New York, has been struggling to win over voters' hearts. According to a recent poll conducted by Siena College, only 34% of likely New York voters have a positive view of her, which is lower than the 39% for former President Donald Trump. This marks a significant drop in Hochul's favorability ratings, which are now at their lowest point ever. The poll also revealed that Hochul's unfavorability rating has reached 54%, making it the highest ever recorded. This has resulted in a net favorability rating of -20%, which is worse than Trump's net favorability of -18%. What's more surprising is that a higher number of voters, 12%, said they didn't know or didn't have an opinion of Hochul, compared to only 4% for Trump. Despite efforts to boost her popularity, such as scrapping congestion pricing, appearing at the Democratic National Convention, and trying to aid Democratic candidates on the ballot, Hochul's numbers continue to decline. However, her struggles seem to have not affected the prospects of other Democratic politicians in the state. Vice President Kamala Harris and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats, are leading their Republican opponents in the polls. Harris holds a significant lead over Trump in a head-to-head matchup, with 55% of voters choosing her over 42% for Trump. Harris's strong performance in the recent debate with Trump may have contributed to her lead. The majority of voters, 63%, said they trusted Harris more than Trump on issues such as abortion, democracy, and the economy. Meanwhile, Senator Gillibrand is cruising to a comfortable victory over her Republican challenger Mike Sapraicone. A whopping 54% of voters said they would vote for Gillibrand, while only 31% supported Sapraicone.