With less than seven weeks until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris continues to lead former President Donald Trump by double figures in New York state, while Gov. Kathy Hochul received record-low marks in favorability and job approval ratings, according to a Siena College poll of likely voters released Thursday morning.
Harris leads Trump 55%-42%, compared with 53%-39% last month, according to the Siena College poll. Harris has a 53%-44% favorability rating, virtually unchanged from last month, while Trump's favorability rating came in at 39%-57%, which was also mostly unchanged, despite the Democratic convention and the debate having taken place since the last Siena poll.
In a multi-candidate race, Harris leads Trump 52%-40%, with minor party candidates receiving 3%, the poll found.
She enjoys an edge on the issues of abortion (60%-34%), democracy (56%-40%) and the economy (52%-45%), though on immigration, Harris and Trump are virtually tied, with Harris trusted by 48% and Trump, 47%, according to the poll.
“New York remains solidly ‘blue’ but perhaps not as deep blue as it has been in the last several presidential cycles," Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said. "In the six presidential elections this century, Democrats have carried New York by at least 18 points, and at least 22 points in five of the six. President Biden won here by 23 points in 2020.”
Nearly 80% of respondents said the 2024 election is the most important election of their lifetimes.
While 43% said the presidential debate did not affect their vote, 37% said it moved them to more likely to support Harris versus 17% who said it did not, Greenberg said, adding that two-thirds of voters want to see a second debate.
Hochul's favorability rating is 34%-54%, down from 39%-50% in August, and her job approval rating us 39%-56%, dipping from 46%-49% in August, the poll shows.
Just 32% of likely voters polled think New York is on the right track, compared with 55% who say the state is headed in the wrong direction, according to the poll. It's the most pessimistic New Yorkers have been about the direction of the state in at least a decade, Greenberg said. Last month, it was 39%-51%.
Voters said they overwhelmingly support the state's proposed ERA constitutional amendment 64%-23%, down slightly from 68%-23%.
In this year's U.S. Senate race, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand maintains a 23-point lead over Republican Mike Sapraicone, according to the poll.
Voters favored Democrats for Congress over Republicans, 52%-39%, the poll found.