Even though a budget deal has yet to be reached, Gov. Kathy Hochul spent Tuesday celebrating a major international company announced a $1 billion investment in the state and a new poll shows she’s winning more support from voters.

It all comes just one week after Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik slammed Hochul’s leadership, positioning herself to potentially run for governor.

“There are other states that tried to lure you away! No, we weren’t gonna let that happen!” Hochul said Tuesday in Rome, approximately 45 minutes north of Syracuse.

She cheered the promise of 1,000 jobs and a $1.2 billion building expansion from yogurt giant Chobani.

“A one billion dollar investment here in upstate New York!” she gushed.

“I will make sure that every single Chobani act is nothing but interest of the state and the country and every day. And most importantly we have to get our relationship with our farmers deepened so this way, through this, we can truly find a good solution for farmers to have second generation, third generation, fourth generation,” said Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani’s CEO, after describing the company’s humble beginnings starting in 2005.

Hochul also celebrated her first positive poll numbers in months.

A new Siena College poll shows Hochul with a 44% to 43% favorability rating, increasing from the 40% to 50% negative margin in March.

And on whether she deserves to be reelected, 39% of voters picked her for 2026, compared to 48% who say they want someone else.

It’s good news for Hochul, especially while sharing the stage with one possible challenger.

“We are creating jobs in multiple industries in upstate New York!” Stefanik said.

A GOP darling and close with President Donald Trump, Stefanik might be coming for Hochul’s job.

Just one week earlier, Stefanik slammed Hochul.

“It’s time to act. We must end the single party, Democrat rule, we must end their facile policies of high taxes, soft on crime laws, bloated budget,” she said.

“We need to kick them out. Hochul, Heastie the whole crew,” Stefanik said on April 16 at the New York State Republican Party’s annual gala in Manhattan.

Blaming the governor for favoring lax criminal justice policies, contributing to the immigration crisis and encouraging residents and businesses to pack up and leave.

“I think we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fire Kathy Hochul once and for all,” she told NY1.

On Tuesday, Hochul argued entrepreneurs want to invest in New York, despite economic uncertainty out of Washington, D.C.

“What I’m trying so hard to do is make them believe that this is the state where they can continue to prosper, despite all the extra costs they’re dealing with, the tariffs,” she said.

Representing a large swath of upstate, where the new factory expansion is planned, Stefanik thanked local leaders.

“Local growth and economic development don’t happen by accident. They require vision, action and the courage to move forward, even when the road ahead is challenging,” she said.