Cuomo’s Favorability at Lowest Level Since Election

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s favorability rating is now at its lowest level since he’s been governor (64-30 percent), according to a new Siena College poll released Monday.

The recent poll found that while Cuomo continues to maintain a better than two-to-one favorability rating, it is down from 67-29 percent in February and 72-21 percent in December 2012.

Fifty-four percent of voters say Cuomo is doing an excellent or good job as governor and 44 percent say he’s doing only a fair or poor job, down from 58-41 percent last month and 60-38 percent in January and December.

What has triggered the drop? While Cuomo's controversial recent gun law has unsettled some, particularly upstate, the majority of voters are with the governor on his gun law and do not want to see it repealed, said Siena Pollster Steven Greenberg.

"So, is it the gun law creating this mini-trend of three consecutive months of lower poll numbers? Or is it, to some degree, that nearly half of voters see recent decisions by the governor as being politically motivated?” Greenberg asked. "Voters are now virtually evenly divided on whether or not the law was ‘rushed through’ or was the ‘right thing to do. ... With more time to consider what happened, some voters have become displeased with the process that led to the gun law’s passage."

As far as leading issues, the poll found:

• Voters are divided almost evenly on issues of fracking and casinos.
• There’s overwhelming support for the governor’s Reproductive Health Act (2/3 of voters call themselves pro-choice).
• Voters strongly support a minimum wage increase and stop-and-frisk reform.

Cuomo slipped among New York City and upstate voters, while gaining a little ground with suburban voters.

Overall, 54 percent of those polled are prepared to re-elect Cuomo, compared to 37 percent who would prefer someone else.

The poll was conducted March 3-7, 2013, by telephone to 803 New York State registered voters.