New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani remains highly popular among voters in the city but faces deeply negative numbers in the surrounding suburbs, according to a new Siena College poll of 811 likely voters statewide.

Statewide, 47% of voters have a favorable view of Mamdani, compared with 44% who view him unfavorably. Inside New York City, however, his numbers are dramatically stronger, with 69% viewing him favorably and just 24% unfavorably.

The picture changes sharply in the suburbs, where 60% of voters have an unfavorable opinion of Mamdani and only 34% view him favorably. Upstate voters are more divided, with 41% viewing him favorably and 46% unfavorably.

The numbers could have significant political implications for Gov. Kathy Hochul and other Democrats running in competitive suburban districts. John McLaughlin, a pollster for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and President Trump, said, “Suburbanites fear Mamdani,” arguing that Republicans could use Hochul’s support for Mamdani against her.

Hochul herself also struggles in the suburbs. Only 40% of suburban voters view her favorably, while 57% have an unfavorable opinion. Upstate voters are nearly as negative. In New York City, however, 59% view Hochul favorably, compared with 31% who view her unfavorably.

Mamdani’s support also varies sharply among demographic groups. Nearly 80% of Black voters statewide view him favorably, as do 72% of voters between the ages of 18 and 34. Among Jewish voters, however, 66% view Mamdani unfavorably — the highest negative rating among any religious group measured in the poll. Among voters 55 and older, 51% view him unfavorably and 38% favorably.

The mayor also polls considerably better than his own political organization, the Democratic Socialists of America. Only 30% of voters have a favorable view of the DSA, while 47% view it unfavorably and nearly one-quarter have no opinion.

Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said Mamdani could be an asset to Hochul in New York City, but described the political dynamic facing both parties as a “double-edged sword,” asking how Hochul handles her association with Mamdani while Blakeman must navigate his relationship with President Trump.

Trump remains unpopular statewide, with 60% of voters viewing him unfavorably and 38% favorably. Blakeman, a close ally of the president, has embraced that relationship, with Trump set to campaign alongside him during a visit to Long Island on Friday.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)