By 5 Towns Central Staff

NEW YORK STATE (August 13, 2026)

A new Siena University poll of likely New York gubernatorial voters finds significant dissatisfaction with Mayor Zohran Mamdani among Jewish New Yorkers, with 66% saying they disapprove of his performance compared with 26% who approve.

The survey, conducted August 3–6 among 811 likely voters, also found particularly low support for the Democratic Socialists of America among Jewish respondents. Seventy-five percent said they disapprove of the organization, while just 17% expressed approval.

The poll found that New Yorkers remain divided over the direction of the state. Overall, 43% of likely voters said New York is moving in the right direction, while 47% said the state is headed the wrong way. Democrats were considerably more optimistic, with 67% saying the state is on the right track. Among Republicans, 86% said it is headed in the wrong direction, while 55% of independents also expressed a negative view.

Jewish voters were somewhat more pessimistic than the overall electorate: 51% said New York is moving in the wrong direction, compared with 39% who said it is on the right track.

The survey also found a difference in outlook between the country and New York. Among Jewish respondents, 53% believe America’s best years are still ahead, while 39% believe they are behind. When asked specifically about New York, however, only 42% said the state’s best years are ahead, compared with 36% who said they are behind.

Jewish Voters in the 2026 Governor’s Race

Despite their negative views of Mamdani and the DSA, Jewish voters continue to lean Democratic in statewide elections.

In a hypothetical matchup for governor, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul led Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman 49% to 42% among Jewish voters.

In the attorney general race, Democratic Attorney General Letitia James held a wider advantage over Republican Saritha Komatireddy, leading 61% to 28%.

At the same time, Jewish voters gave Blakeman an edge when asked who would be more likely to keep New Yorkers safe. Forty-eight percent chose Blakeman, compared with 44% for Hochul.

Looking ahead to congressional elections, 52% of Jewish respondents said they would vote for a Democratic candidate if the election were held today, while 41% said they would support a Republican.

Jewish respondents represented approximately 8% of the poll’s sample. Because the Jewish subgroup was relatively small, the results carry a larger margin of error than the overall survey. The weighted portions of the poll had margins of error ranging from approximately 4.2 to 4.6 percentage points.

The findings suggest that while Jewish New Yorkers remain competitive between the two major parties in statewide and congressional races, they currently express substantial dissatisfaction with Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America.