A Siena University poll released June 25 found NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s favorability rising since April, with New Yorkers strongly prioritizing the cost of living—after a key vote passed to freeze rent for up to two years in rent-stabilized apartments.
Zohran Mamdani walked into a test that doesn’t come with debates or talking points—just numbers. In the latest Siena University poll of New York State voters. his favorability edged up from earlier this year. even as the state’s political attention stayed locked on one issue voters say is hardest to bear: the cost of living.
The poll, released June 25 and conducted from June 17 to June 23, surveyed 1,120 New York State registered voters. It measured the favorability of the state Legislature, Assembly, and prominent New York politicians, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is up for re-election.
For Mamdani, the shift since April was modest but clear. His favorability now sits at 45-34%. Siena previously reported that his rating was 43-40% in April.
In New York City specifically, the numbers were stronger. Mamdani’s favorability in NYC is 58-26%, up from 56-34% earlier in the year.
The political test has been happening alongside one of Mamdani’s central campaign themes: affordability. Siena’s release pointed to the cost-of-living crisis as the dominant concern among voters. “A clear majority of voters think the cost of living is the most important issue they are facing and an overwhelming majority. 77%. say it is one of the two most important issues. ” Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said.
The poll’s breakdown showed the issue landing across lines that campaigns often try to split. “A majority or large plurality of Democrats. Republicans. independents. upstaters and downstaters. men and women. young and old. Black. Latino or white all say that cost of living is the most important issue. At least 72% of each of those groups of voters say cost of living is one of the two most important issues. ” Greenberg added.
That emphasis on affordability landed close to a concrete piece of policy momentum. On Thursday. after the poll was taken. a key vote passed to freeze the rent for up to two years in rent-stabilized apartments. Siena’s release described rent-stabilized coverage as reaching around one million apartments.
Taken together, the timeline shows the same storyline tightening from two directions: voters are signaling affordability as their top priority, and a major rent-stabilization promise moved through the legislative process around the same period the poll measured sentiment.
Zohran Mamdani Siena University poll favorability rating New York State voters cost of living rent freeze rent-stabilized apartments Kathy Hochul
Rent freeze = voters happy? So basically he’s just riding the rent headlines.
I don’t even get it, are they freezing rent for the whole city or only rent-stabilized?? Like I feel like half the people don’t even fall into that category. Still, of course rent is the #1 issue, everything’s insane.
Favorability went up because of a rent vote, ok sure. But 45-34% doesn’t sound that high like is that good or just barely. Also he’s a mayor right? Why is a state poll talking about him so much. Sounds like they just want to hype one issue.
Siena poll… like trust them. I swear every election year they find one thing people care about and then act like it’s some master plan. If rent-stabilized has like a million apartments then what about everyone else paying regular rent that still goes up. But yeah cost of living is everything, so I’m not shocked he climbed.