New York's Democratic Governor, Kathy Hochul, is experiencing a precarious hold on her approval ratings, with a recent poll suggesting that the majority of New Yorkers would prefer a different candidate to win the 2026 gubernatorial election.
This poll, released by Siena College, also indicates that Rep. Elise Stefanik is leading the pack among potential Republican contenders for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
The poll, conducted between May 12 and 15, revealed that only 36% of registered voters in New York would vote to re-elect Hochul for a second term.
This is a significant drop from Siena's April survey, which showed 39% of respondents willing to vote for Hochul's re-election. The majority (55%) expressed a preference for a different candidate.
According to Fox News, the poll also revealed a notable shift among Democrats, with 51% stating they would re-elect Hochul, while 38% preferred another candidate. Among independent voters and Republicans, the preference for a different candidate was even more pronounced, at 64% and 82% respectively.
"Even more Republicans 82% up from 68% last month and independents 64% up from 55% prefer someone else to be the next governor, while a small majority of Democrats, 51%, say they are prepared to reelect her," stated Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.
Hochul, who assumed office as New York's first female governor in August 2021 following the resignation of Andrew Cuomo, won a full four-year term in 2022 by a narrow margin over then-Rep. Lee Zeldin. This victory marked the best performance by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in New York since 2002. Hochul has already announced her intention to run for re-election in 2026.
Despite the shifting political landscape, Hochul's approval ratings remain slightly positive, with 50% approval and 46% disapproval. However, her favorable rating is marginally negative, at 44% favorable and 46% unfavorable.
The poll was conducted following the finalization of a $254 billion budget, which includes provisions for tax cuts, increased benefits, and investments in education and healthcare. When asked about the potential impact of these measures on the affordability of living in New York, 52% of respondents believed they would make a significant or somewhat significant difference, while 43% disagreed.
In terms of potential Democratic primary challengers, Hochul maintains a significant lead. Forty-six percent of Democrats would support Hochul for the party's gubernatorial nomination, compared to 12% for Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and 10% for Rep. Ritchie Torres.
"Two potential Hochul rivals for the Democratic nomination for governor next year Delgado and Torres remain largely unknown to a majority of voters and a majority of Democrats," Greenberg noted.
On the Republican side, 35% of voters would support Stefanik, a six-term GOP representative and staunch ally of President Donald Trump. Other potential GOP candidates, Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, garnered 22% and 11% support respectively.
The poll also revealed a 40% approval and 57% disapproval rating for Trump among New York State voters. Greenberg noted a stark partisan divide, with 81% of Democrats disapproving of Trump's performance as president, while 82% of Republicans approved.
The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points, indicating that while Hochul's position may be precarious, the race for the New York governorship in 2026 remains wide open.
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