On Wednesday, December 6th, a Quinnipiac University survey revealed that New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ job approval rating has sunk to its lowest level since the university began polling New Yorkers in 1996.
The poll, conducted among 1,297 registered voters in New York City, found a high 58% disapproval rate for Adams’ performance, starkly contrasting to a mere 28% approval rating.
This rating marks a notable decline from February when Adams received a negative 37% to 43% approval.
Before Mayor Adams’ current polling plight, the most unfavorable approval rating recorded by Quinnipiac for a New York City mayor was when Michael Bloomberg received a negative 31% to 60% approval mark in July 2003.
The survey also highlighted that Governor Kathy Hochul’s approval ratings are closely divided, with 45% of participants expressing approval of her performance whereas 48% are in disapproval.
Adams’ plummeting approval is attributed to a combination of factors, including city government budget cuts, his handling of the migrant crisis, homelessness, education, and public safety.
The survey indicates that 60% of respondents disapprove of his public safety agenda, and 54% question his honesty and trustworthiness.
The survey also included responses from registered Republicans and Democrats, with Democrats giving Adams a negative 35%-49% rating.
The poll’s findings emerge amidst an ongoing FBI investigation into alleged illegal funding of Adams’ 2021 campaign by the Turkish government and a sexual assault accusation from a former colleague dating back to 1993.
Although Adams denies these claims, they seem to influence public perception, with 22% of voters suspecting illegal activities and 32% doubting his denial of the sexual assault allegation.
Mary Snow, assistant director at Quinnipiac University, commented on the results, stating, “There’s no good news for Mayor Adams in this poll. Not only are voters giving him poor grades on the job he’s doing at City Hall, their views on his character have dimmed.”
Snow added, “As the city faces across-the-board budget cuts while dealing with a migrant crisis, headlines about a federal investigation into the mayor’s 2021 campaign and an accusation of sexual assault leveled against him from 30 years ago are taking a toll.”
Despite the negative feedback, the only group offering Adams a positive rating were Black New Yorkers, with a 48%-38% approval-disapproval ratio.
The survey also highlighted New Yorkers’ dissatisfaction with Adams’ handling of city spending and homelessness, with 66% disapproving of his budget management and 72% disapproving of his approach to homelessness.
The poll results for Adams coincide with an increasing number of progressive Democrats, such as former City Comptroller Scott Stringer, considering a primary challenge against the mayor in the 2025 election.
