Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing a tough political climate, with a new Marist Poll showing her approval rating stuck at 39% and a majority of New Yorkers saying they do not want her to seek reelection.
The poll, which surveyed 1,204 New York state residents from April 3 to April 9, paints a bleak picture not just for Hochul, but for the state’s overall mood, showing that declining economic confidence, concerns over affordability and dissatisfaction with leadership dominate public opinion.
While Hochul’s approval rating is unchanged from a year ago, more voters see her unfavorably, with 46% disapproving of her performance, up from 42% in April of 2024, according to the poll.
Just 13% of New Yorkers strongly approve of her performance, compared to 31% who strongly disapprove.
When asked more broadly about her leadership, 53% of residents said Hochul is not a good leader for the state, including one-third of Democrats, the poll found. That marks a drop from October 2021, when a majority (56%) viewed her as a good leader for the state.
Nearly six in 10 residents (57%) say they do not want Hochul to run again in 2026, the poll found. Among Democrats, that figure is at 40%.
The pessimistic ratings come as a broader sense of frustration hangs over New York: A majority of residents (55%) say the quality of life has gotten worse in the state, and 64% believe the state’s economy is deteriorating — a sharp rise from 51% in April of last year. Meanwhile, only 9% of adults think the economy is improving.
Personal financial expectations have also taken a hit, according to the poll: Just 27% expect their household finances to improve in the coming year, while 37% anticipate things will stay the same and 36% predict things will get worse.
Affordability is a driving concern, with 82% of New Yorkers saying the cost of living is either not very affordable or not affordable at all. Only 18% say it is very affordable or affordable.
A majority of New Yorkers (58%), meanwhile, say congestion pricing should be eliminated, calling it an unfair tax on working commuters, while 38% support it as a tool to reduce traffic and fund the MTA.
The poll also suggests that dissatisfaction is pushing some New Yorkers to consider leaving the state altogether. Thirty-two percent say they plan to move out within the next five years, citing reasons such as the cost of living (39%), overall quality of life (26%) and taxes (16%).
When asked about the direction of the state, 60% of residents say New York is headed the wrong way — largely unchanged from last year. Only 39% believe the state is moving in the right direction.
Hochul isn’t the only statewide figure facing declining support. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s approval rating now sits at 34% — down from 41% in 2021 — with 56% giving him a rating of fair (20%) or poor (36%). A slim majority — 53% — say it’s time for another Democrat to replace him as Senate minority leader, while 45% say he should remain in the role.
Even among Democrats, opinions are split on his future leadership role, with 50% saying he should keep his position and 48% saying he should pass it on to someone else.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand fares slightly better, with 36% rating her performance as excellent or good. Forty-two percent view her performance as fair (20%) or poor (22%) — down from 49% in 2021 — but a growing number — 22% — say they’re unsure how to assess her work in office, up from 13%.
This all comes after a Siena poll released in March showed Hochul had a commanding lead in a hypothetical 2026 Democratic primary.
That poll showed the governor had the backing of 46% of Democrats, far above support levels of 11% for Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and 10% for Rep. Ritchie Torres, neither of whom have announced they are running for the office.
