New York’s dominant Democratic-progressive establishment basically ignored the voter anger exposed in the 2022 elections — and the voters have noticed.
The new Siena poll is the latest evidence: More than half the state’s registered voters say New York is heading in the “wrong direction.”
How, exactly?
Well, 49% say crime has gotten worse across the state this last year; only 17% think it’s improved; 31%, stayed the same.
And a full 83% say the migrant influx is a “serious” problem, including more than three-quarters of Democrats.
Since everyone knows that’s mainly on President Biden, that may be why more of the Empire State says the whole country is on the wrong track (by 61%, to 31% “right track) than do New York state itself (52% wrong, 37% right).
It also helps explain why Donald Trump now trails President Biden by just eight points — overcoming a double-digit deficit — in bluer-than-blue New York.
And while the poll shows pretty strong support for Gov. Hochul’s suspension of the congestion-pricing tolls and her successful push to protect teens from exploitation by social-media companies, her approval rating hit 38% — a new low — with almost half, 49%, disapproving of her job performance.
The gov’s not on the ballot this fall, but state legislators are and the Democratic supermajority dominating the Legislature also fared poorly: 51% of voters said lawmakers failed to pass “laws that improve the quality of life in New York” in the just-ended legislative session, to just 17% who thought it did.
They disapprove of the state Senate by 39% to 38% approval; the Assembly, thumbs-down 37%-36%.
And half of independents disapprove of both legislative chambers, against just 21% approval.
Democrats outnumber Republicans more than 2:1 statewide, but independents are trending like Republicans.
With the advantages of incumbency, gerrymandering and more, Dem officeholders mainly believe they’ve got New York wired to protect their power — worried most about losing a primary to all-too-well-organized progressives, even though the hard left is still a distinct minority overall.
But public discontent is plainly growing, and this poll didn’t even ask about taxes, the cost of living, job growth and other areas where New York still lags the nation.
One more major blowup — say, a series of blackouts this summer, which state misgovernment has made all too likely — and November just might bring a major electoral kick in the pants to New York’s entitled political elite.
