ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A new Siena poll released on Tuesday gave insight into Governor Hochul’s favorability rating, as its gone negative for the first time. The poll also highlighted how New Yorkers feel about the new state budget, minimum wage increase, cracking down on unlicensed cannabis sellers, mental health, and more.

According to the poll, 45% view Gov. Hochul unfavorably compared to 40% who disagree. Also, her job approval rating slid to 50% from 52% in March. Voters were evenly split on whether Hochul is effective, with each side sitting at 39%. Voters were also even on if she is a strong leader, with each side at 40%. A majority 58% believe she is hardworking, with 20% disagreeing.

“While voters think that the recently passed budget and many of its specifics will be good for New York, at the same time they also give Hochul her worst-ever favorability rating – the first time it’s been under water. For months, we’ve noted that Hochul’s favorable rating has never hit 50%, now she’s struggling to keep it in the 40s,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg. “While viewed favorably by 57% of Democrats, she’s viewed unfavorably by 54% of independents and 77% of Republicans. Upstate, voters view her unfavorably two-to-one.”

“Hochul’s job performance rating remained modestly positive, 50-44%, and nearly matched its all-time low of 49-44% in December,” Greenberg said. “Since January, Hochul’s favorability and job approval ratings have both dropped in each of the last three Siena polls. Job approval has fallen by 14 points and favorability by 11 points.”

Regarding the newly passed state budget, 80% of voters believe adding $1B in funding for mental health services is good, with 9% opposition. 58% believe it is a good idea to authorize the state to fine or even close businesses that sell cannabis without a license, with 26% disagreeing. 64% are for increasing the minimum wage by $2 over the next three years and tying future increases to the cost of living, with 24% opposing.

“Majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents all agree that three proposals in the recently passed state budget will be good for New York: increasing funding for mental health services, giving judges more discretion on setting bail for serious crimes, and authorizing the state to crack down on unlicensed cannabis businesses,” Greenberg said. “Majorities of Democrats and independents think the minimum wage increase and new funding for reproductive health care will also be good for the state. Only Democrats say the new building electrification mandates and expanded film tax credit will be good for New York. Overall, Democrats think the budget will be good for the state, Republicans think it will be bad for the state, and independents are more closely divided.”

Also according to the new Siena poll, 60% of Republicans say they would vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, compared to 32% who’d rather see someone new. Among Democrats, 56% say they would renominate Joe Biden, with 40% seeking a new candidate. In March, Trump had 52% support from his party, with Biden at 43%.

“Nearly a year from New York’s presidential primary, Republicans – who view Trump favorably 67-27% – are solidly behind the former President, nearly two-to-one. Only among self-described moderate Republicans does ‘other’ beat Trump,” Greenberg said. “Among the third of Republicans who said they wanted another candidate, 28% of them said DeSantis, 14% Mike Pence, 8% Nikki Haley, 6% Liz Cheney, and a scattering,” Greenberg said. “Biden, who saw a small uptick in his favorability, 51-45%, and job approval, 51-47%, ratings since March, rallied Democrats to his nascent re-election campaign since then,” Greenberg said. “Two months ago, Democrats, by a margin of eight points, said they preferred a different nominee than Biden. Today, by a 16-point margin, Democrats say they want Biden as their standard bearer next year.”

“The US Supreme Court has a negative 37-52% favorability rating, down from 45-41% in December 2022 and its high, 63-30%, in July 2012. The Court is viewed favorably by 57% of Republicans and unfavorably by 65% of Democrats. Independents view the Court unfavorably, 40-49%,” Greenberg said. “As recently as October 2021, SCOTUS was viewed favorably, 51-32%. Now, a majority from each region views the Court unfavorably.”