(The Center Square) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ favorability has plummeted amid a migrant crisis, budget cuts and a federal investigation, according to a new poll.
That’s according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, which shows the Democrats’ job performance approval rating has hit a historic low of 28% as he wraps up his second year in office.
It’s the lowest approval rating for a New York City mayor since Quinnipiac polling began in 1996, the group said.
Quinnipiac University Poll Assistant Director Mary Snow said with the city facing across-the-board budget cuts, a migrant crisis, headlines about a federal investigation into the mayor’s 2021 campaign, and an accusation of sexual assault leveled against him three decade ago, Adams is taking a beating in the polls.
“There’s no good news for Mayor Adams in this poll,” she said. “Not only are voters giving him poor grades on the job he’s doing at City Hall, their views on his character have dimmed.”
New York City has seen an influx of more than 130,000 migrants over the past year amid a surge of immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border, with about 60,000 migrants under the city’s care. Adams has proposed deep cuts in the budget to cover those costs, which the Quinnipiac poll said out of deep concern, too many voters.
Meanwhile, Adams is facing an FBI investigation into his fundraising arm and allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman 30 years ago while working as a transit cop.
Another poll, conducted by American Pulse & Research Polling, shows former Gov. Andrew Cuomo gaining momentum in a hypothetical Democratic primary race for City Hall in 2025. More than 40% of Democrats surveyed said they favored Cuomo, compared to about 20% for Adams, with another 30% undecided.
The poll was funded by a political action committee founded by Curtis Sliwa, Adams’ Republican opponent in the 2021 mayoral election.
Meanwhile, a Marist poll released last month also suggested Adams’ favorability has plummeted amid the migrant crisis, the FBI’s fundraising probe and looming budget cuts.
More than seven in 10 New York City residents surveyed said they think Adams did something wrong regarding the federal probe, according to the Marist poll.
Adams’ representatives have shrugged off the polls as inaccurate or unreliable and argue they don’t reflect the impact of the mayor’s policies on average New Yorkers.
“Incorrect polls come out every day, but the real numbers cannot be questioned: crime is down, jobs are up, and we continue to deliver billions of dollars into the pockets of working people,” Adams spokesman Fabien Levy said in a statement to news outlets. “There will always be more work to do, but there is no question that this city is in a better place under Mayor Adams’ leadership.”
