End of Year Poll Results Show Majority of Voters Say Hochul Did Not Make Progress on Six Critical 2022 Goals

Rockland Dailly Staff

Voters in a recent end-of-year Sienna College Poll say, by wide margins, Governor Kathy Hochul did not make progress on six of the goals she laid out for 2022, including making communities safer, enhancing trust in state government, transforming SUNY into the envy of the nation, and making the state a place people want to live, not leave.

Crime and cost of living top voters’ priority list for Albany to address in 2023, according to a new Siena College poll of registered New York State voters released on December 13. Hochul’s favorability rating (45-43%) and job approval rating (49-44%) both dipped slightly since October but remain in positive territory, while 2022 Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin now has a 46-32% favorability rating, up net 18 points, from 37-41% before the election.

“Back in January, Siena asked voters if they thought Hochul would make progress on six of the goals she outlined in her State of the State address,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg. “Today, when asked whether the Hochul Administration did or did not make progress on these goals, voters give a resounding ‘no.’ A majority or strong plurality say she did not make progress on any of them. Fewer than one-third of voters say her Administration made progress on any of the goals.”

“Interestingly, Zeldin emerged after Election Day with by far his best ever favorability rating, 46-32%, including a two-to-one favorable rating with independents, 51-25%, up from 41-37% in October,” Greenberg said. “Hochul’s favorability with independents is 32-53%, down from 40-45% in October.” 

 A plurality of voters gave Hochul positive reviews on five characteristics, but all are down from last year.

 

“While voters think Hochul demonstrates honesty and integrity, 44-36%, a year ago, the margin was 56-22%. A strong majority of Democrats, 61%, still says she demonstrates honesty. However, two-thirds of Republicans say she doesn’t – up from 41% – and a plurality of independents also say she doesn’t, after saying two-to-one last year she does,” Greenberg said. “Last year, 68% of Democrats, 47% of independents, and 36% of Republicans said Hochul worked hard for New Yorkers. Today those numbers are 66%, 35%, 21%.” Cost of Living and Crime Are Voters’ Top Two Priorities for Gov & Leg Heading into 2023 “

“Crime and cost of living were top-two priorities for Republicans, Democrats, independents, upstaters and downstaters, Black, Latino, and white voters,” Greenberg said. “Voters can’t say it clearly enough. They’ve said crime is a serious problem for a year; they see it as a serious problem now; they don’t think Hochul has made progress on making communities safer, and they want their elected officials to address it as a top priority in 2023.”