poll conducted last December<\/a>, Hochul received some of her lowest ratings ever.<\/p>\nHochul took over for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo when he resigned in disgrace in August 2021. Since then, she survived a close election campaign that featured numerous negative advertisements aimed at her. Greenberg said now that it\u2019s been a couple of months since Election Day, the effects of those ads may be wearing off.<\/p>\n
He said Hochul also received positive media coverage for her inaugural address and State of the State message earlier this month.<\/p>\n
The poll finds that the majority of New Yorkers like her plans to build more affordable housing, improve mental health care, and raise the minimum wage. They also back her plan to further revise the 2019 bail reform laws to give judges more discretion to set bail for those accused of serious crimes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis may surprise listeners,\u201d Greenberg said. \u201c61% of Republicans, 63% of independents and 68% of Democrats support it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Democrats, who hold supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature, have been resistant to amending the bail reform laws.<\/p>\n
Republicans, who are in the minority in both houses, want to go further and repeal bail reform and other criminal justice changes enacted in the past few years.<\/p>\n
Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, speaking Monday at a news conference held by Republicans at the Capitol, cited the poll\u2019s finding that crime rates in the state remain a major concern. He said 93% of New Yorkers are worried about crime, and he blames in part bail reform and other criminal justice changes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of these reforms, we\u2019ve compromised public safety,\u201d Barclay said. \u201cWe\u2019ve undermined law enforcement\u2019s ability to do their job, and we\u2019ve hamstrung judges by stripping away their ability to keep imprisoned violent criminals without bail.\u201d<\/p>\n
The only Hochul proposal that is not supported by New Yorkers is one that would raise tuition at public colleges and universities. That proposal is opposed by 62% of those surveyed.<\/p>\n
While Hochul\u2019s standing with the public has improved, she is less popular with some members of the New York State Legislature, who she will need to help carry out her proposals in upcoming state budget negotiations.<\/p>\n
A disagreement between the governor and Senate Democrats over Hochul\u2019s nominee for New York\u2019s chief judge has soured relations. The Senate Judiciary Committee last week rejected Hochul\u2019s choice of Justice Hector LaSalle. But the governor said the entire Senate needs to vote on the nominee, and she has threatened legal action to force a floor vote.<\/p>\n
The normally peace-seeking Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins last Friday issued a warning to Hochul and her supporters, saying in a statement that the \u201congoing attack\u201d is \u201ca dangerous infringement of the separation of powers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stewart-Cousins said LaSalle was rejected after a five-hour hearing because of his record.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n