Poll: Voters back Hochul’s budget proposals, still don’t like Hochul

New York voters like what Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed in her executive budget, but that doesn’t mean they’ve warmed up to her much, according to a new Siena College poll.

Siena polled registered voters in New York on a variety of Hochul’s budget proposals, including $1 billion in middle class tax cuts, universal free school meals and rebates of up to $500 sent straight to taxpayers. Each of the polled proposals enjoyed a majority or plurality of support from voters – in many cases, even across party lines. Free school meals polled the best, with 77% of voters surveyed – including strong majorities of every demographic polled – saying they backed the idea. Hochul’s plan to add two police officers to every overnight subway train, an effort that has already begun, garnered the second most support at 71%.

Unfortunately for the governor, the support for her budget plans has not translated to goodwill toward her. Hochul’s favorability, which sunk to record lows last year, still hasn’t recovered much. Her net favorability remains negative, with 47% of the voters polled viewing her poorly and only 39% viewing her well. A slight majority of independents (53%) view her unfavorably, as do a slight plurality of moderates. Hochul’s job approval also remains underwater, with 48% disapproving and 44% approving.

“Hochul hasn’t had a positive favorability rating since January 2024,” said Siena pollster Steve Greenberg. “Her favorability rating has never once hit 50% in a state where 49% of voters are Democrats.” 

What’s more, 57% of voters surveyed – including a majority of voters in New York City, its suburbs and upstate – said they would prefer to vote for someone else for governor in 2026. Among Democratic voters surveyed, only 47% said they would back her. Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres has said he is considering a primary challenge against Hochul, and Republican Rep. Mike Lawler is also widely expected to run in 2026, though the Siena poll did not ask about either potential candidate. 

This isn’t the first time that the governor’s popular policy decisions have failed to boost her own standing. Last June, Siena found that New Yorkers supported Hochul’s decision to pause congestion but still gave her poor marks. 

Hochul is at least better liked than Elon Musk, the only non-elected individual included in the poll. In a sign of the times, Siena included the billionaire Tesla CEO and X owner, who now finds himself effectively in charge of federal employment and spending at the behest of President Donald Trump despite not technically being part of the government. A slight majority (53%) of New York voters view Musk unfavorably, but opinions toward the close Trump ally are polarized along party lines; 78% of Democrats view Musk unfavorably, while 66% of Republicans view him favorably. 

Speaking of Trump, New York voters still overall don’t like the new president, with 56% of those polled viewing him unfavorably. And a number of his policies didn’t poll well either. But New York voters did show support for plans to deport undocumented immigrants with criminal records. A strong majority of 79% of voters surveyed said they back deporting those migrants. Though weakest among Democrats and liberals, that majority held true across demographics. But voters were split on deporting undocumented immigrants with no criminal record, with 42% opposing the idea and 39% supporting it.

Still, a near majority (48%) of voters polled said that New York should support the federal government’s efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. The state has a variety of sanctuary measures that limit how much state employees can cooperate with federal immigration officials, and New York City has even stronger laws. Hochul has said that she will work with federal authorities to deport serious criminals, but she has also said that law-abiding immigrants living in the state shouldn’t be targeted. Some lawmakers, meanwhile, are pushing for legislation that would strengthen the state’s sanctuary policies to further hinder Trump’s mass deportation efforts in New York.