Majority in New York want challenger to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul: poll

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul's approval and favorable ratings are edging up, but a new poll indicates a majority of New Yorkers would prefer someone else to win the 2026 election for governor in the Empire State.

According to a Siena College poll conducted Dec. 2-5 and released on Tuesday, only a third (33%) of registered voters in New York state said they would vote to re-elect Hochul to a second four-year term, with a majority (57%) saying they wanted someone else.

Only 48% of Democrats said – at this extremely early point – that they're prepared to re-elect Hochul, with four in 10 Democrats saying they want "someone else."

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The percentage of voters who prefer another candidate jumps to 65% among independents and 85% among Republicans.

Hochul, who at the time was the state’s lieutenant governor, in August 2021 was sworn in as New York’s first female governor, after three-term Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals.

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She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin's showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since then-GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002.

In July, Hochul announced her intention to run for re-election in 2026.

Apparently contributing to Hochul's polling woes is the governor's support for the New York City congestion pricing plan, which takes effect next month.

Most passenger cars entering Midtown and Lower Manhattan will now be charged $9 once a day to enter the congestion zone at peak hours, and $2.25 at other times.

According to the poll, voters by a 51%-29% margin oppose Hochul’s plan, 51-29%. That includes 56% of New York City voters and six in 10 downstate residents.

But Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg noted that "there’s some good news for the Governor. Her favorability rating improved for the second consecutive poll."

Hochul's favorable rating edged up from 36%-51% in October to 39%-49% now. And her job approval rating as governor also jumped from 41%-51% in October to 46%-49% now.

"The bad news is that both ratings remain stubbornly underwater. Hochul has not had a positive favorability rating since January of this year and she has never had 50% or more voters view her favorably," Greenberg added.

But he added that "voters say that all things being equal they’d prefer a Democrat over a Republican to be the next governor, 52-34%."

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, who is mulling a primary challenge against Hochul, late last month took to social media to argue that the governor is "in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026 – an outcome not seen in 30 years."