Poll: Majority of New York voters want ‘someone else’ as governor

With less than two years before the next gubernatorial election – and even less time before the Democratic primary – a new Siena College poll found that New York voters are itching for a replacement for Gov. Kathy Hochul.

According to the new survey, only 33% of registered voters in the state would vote to reelect Hochul “as things stand now,” while 57% of voters said they would vote for “someone else.” That number includes 65% of independents, a growing voter base in the state, and 54% of self-described moderates. Not even a majority of Democrats said they would back Hochul again, with just 48% of registered Democrats polled saying they would vote for her again. “As we now enter the 2026 gubernatorial election cycle, Hochul starts with less than an enthusiastic welcome from the voters,” said Siena pollster Steve Greenberg.

Siena did not offer voters a hypothetical matchup with any potential opponents, but at least two potential gubernatorial opponents have already begun testing the waters for a run – Rep. Ritchie Torres, who could challenge Hochul in a Democratic primary, and Rep. Mike Lawler, who could run as a Republican in the general election in 2026. Both have aggressively attacked Hochul in recent weeks on a variety of issues. Lawler has focused heavily on Hochul’s decision to reinstate congestion pricing at a lower price, while Torres has criticized her governance more generally. 

According to Siena, both members of Congress have a long way to go in terms of raising their profiles statewide. The majority of registered voters polled said they were unfamiliar with both would-be gubernatorial candidates; 64% said they did not know about or had no opinion on Lawler, while 68% said the same about Torres. For those who did have an opinion, 19% viewed Torres favorably compared to 13% who viewed him unfavorably. Lawler’s numbers were worse, with 17% of voters polled viewing him well, compared to 20% who viewed him unfavorably.

Torres has work to do to win over Democratic primary voters, though the poll indicates that there is potential appetite for change. Half of Democrats polled said that Hochul should remain the party’s nominee in 2026, while only 32% said it should be someone else. Lawler also faces a tough path; despite President-elect Donald Trump’s overperformance in New York, the poll found that a majority of registered voters in the state still prefer a Democrat as governor.

“There’s some good news for the governor,” Greenberg said, noting that while Hochul’s favorability ratings are still negative, they have improved for the second poll in a row. In September’s poll, when the governor hit new lows, Hochul had a -20 net favorability. In the new poll, her net favorability increased to -10, with 39% viewing her favorably and 49% viewing her unfavorably. 

The poll found that the cost of living is top of mind for registered voters, with a whopping 43% naming it as the top issue for state lawmakers to address when they return to Albany next month. Hochul has focused heavily on affordability and the cost of living, particularly in the aftermath of the election. On Monday, she announced her first State of the State proposal focused on cost of living: tax rebates for low- and middle-income New Yorkers, a move that would provide each taxpayer with hundreds of dollars to help compensate for inflation.

While that proposal may play well with voters, the Siena poll found that 51% still disapproved of Hochul’s reinstated congestion pricing plan, which will toll drivers heading into lower Manhattan $9 a day starting in January. That includes 60% of suburban voters and even 56% of New York City voters.