SCHUMER SINKS AOC SOARS IN NEW POLL AS LIBERAL VOTERS DEMAND HARDER LINE ON TRUMP
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul's approval and favorable ratings are also on the rise, according to a new poll
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's poll numbers in his home state of New York are taking a hit.
The top Senate Democrat and longtime lawmaker faced intense backlash from within his own party in March for supporting a Republican-crafted federal government funding bill that averted a government shutdown and was backed by President Donald Trump but opposed by most congressional Democrats.
That anger by Democrats appears to be reflected in a new poll of New Yorkers conducted by Siena College.
Schumer's favorable rating stands at 39% favorable and 49% unfavorable among New York state voters questioned in the poll, which was conducted April 14-16 and released on Tuesday.
It's the worst showing by Schumer in the 20 years Siena College has been conducting polls in New York state.
"A first in a Siena College poll: Schumer is 10 points underwater, with a plurality of voters viewing him unfavorably," Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said.
Fueling the deterioration of Schumer's numbers is a plunge in favorability among Democrats.
"While he continues to be viewed unfavorably by more than two-thirds of Republicans and a majority of independents, Schumer saw his standing with Democrats, particularly liberals, fall dramatically," Greenberg said. "Democrats view Schumer favorably 52-38%, down from 68-23%, and he’s still viewed favorably by a plurality of liberals, 47-41%, but that’s down from 68-21%."
While the poll shows that Schumer's favorable ratings are taking a hit, it also indicates that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's numbers are soaring.
Ocasio-Cortez, the four-term Democrat from New York City and a progressive champion, stands at 47% favorable and 33% unfavorable among New York state voters. That's a jump from 38%-39% the last time Siena asked about Ocasio-Cortez among a statewide sample of respondents, four years ago.
According to the poll, 64% of Democrats view Ocasio-Cortez in a favorable light, more than Schumer or Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Six in 10 Republicans questioned in the poll view Ocasio-Cortez in a negative way, with independents evenly divided.
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While the Senate minority leader isn't up for re-election until 2028, there are already suggestions that Ocasio-Cortez could wage a primary challenge against Schumer, with some early polling suggesting that she would top him.
Hochul, who is running next year for a second four-year term as New York governor, is enjoying a rise in her approval and favorable ratings, according to the poll.
The governor's approval rating stands at 48%-45%, up from 46%-48% in Siena College's March poll.
And Hochul's favorable ratings now stand at 44%-43%, up from 40%-50% last month.
While only 39% of voters are prepared to re-elect Hochul in 2026 – with 48% saying they would like to see "someone else" – her standing is an improvement from March, when only 34% wanted to see her re-elected and 56% preferred someone else.
Greenberg noted that when it comes to the governor's approval and favorable ratings, "Hochul improved most among upstate and women voters."