New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D.) favorability and job performance ratings have plummeted in the past month amid an ongoing federal corruption trial of a former top aide to the governor, according to a new poll.
A Siena College poll released on Monday found that 53 percent of New York State registered voters have a favorable opinion of Cuomo, down nine percent from last month's 62 percent. The new survey also found that 40 percent of voters have an unfavorable opinion of Cuomo, an increase of 10 percent from last month's 30 percent.
Cuomo's job performance rating also took a big hit.
Only 45 percent of New Yorkers said that Cuomo is doing a "good" or "excellent" job as governor, while 53 percent rated his performance "fair" or "poor," putting his rating in the negative. Last month, 50 percent of respondents said that Cuomo is doing a "good" or "excellent" job as governor, and 48 percent rated his performance "fair" or "poor."
Cuomo's support for reelection also shrank in the Siena College poll. Only 50 percent of New York voters said that they would reelect him now, down from 55 percent last month. Meanwhile, 42 percent said in the latest survey that they would support someone else, up six percent from last month.
"After hitting his second-term high favorability rating last month, Governor Cuomo's favorability, job performance, and reelect ratings all hit significant speed bumps this month," said Steven Greenberg, a Siena College pollster. "He's down with Democrats, more with Republicans, and even more with independents."
Siena Poll: Cuomo Favorability/Job Performance Ratings Fall from January https://t.co/vs07x6BxCU
— SienaResearch (@SienaResearch) February 12, 2018
Greenberg noted that the drop in support for Cuomo comes as "much of what [he] has been talking about over the last several weeks has been overshadowed by the ongoing coverage of the federal corruption trial in Manhattan, in which the governor has been featured prominently."
Greenberg was referring to the ongoing corruption trial of Joseph Percoco, a former and longtime top aide to Cuomo.
Federal prosecutors allege that Percoco pocketed more than $300,000 in bribes in return for official actions on behalf of an energy company and a developer seeking lucrative deals with New York State.
Greenberg said that the silver lining for Cuomo's hopes of winning a third term is that the two Republicans still vying to run against him in November are "both unknown to more than three-quarters of New York voters."
Cuomo, whose name has been floated as a potential 2020 presidential candidate, is favored to win reelection and has so far raised more than $30 million for his reelection effort.