WASHINGTON — As New York Governor Kathy Hochul contemplates the possibility of ousting New York City Mayor Eric Adams from his position, recent data from AP VoteCast indicates that a significant number of voters in the city had already favored such a step during last year’s elections.
Approximately two-thirds of New York City voters expressed support for Hochul’s potential decision to remove Adams. Furthermore, a majority held an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic mayor, as revealed by a comprehensive survey that gathered insights from over 4,000 voters across New York and 120,000 nationwide. Out of those surveyed, around 1,700 were from New York City.
On Monday, Hochul stated that she was considering the removal of Adams due to what she described as “serious questions about the long-term future” of his administration, catalyzed by a series of unusual events unfolding over the past week.
The federal Justice Department urged the dismissal of corruption charges against Adams, citing that the pending case hindered his capacity to assist President Donald Trump with immigration issues. This move sparked dissent among federal prosecutors, leading several, including the interim U.S. attorney for Manhattan, to resign in protest. Consequently, four of Adams’ senior aides also decided to step down.
Adams, who has pleaded not guilty to various charges including conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery, has been accused of receiving illegal campaign contributions and partaking in overseas trips. He firmly denies any wrongdoing.
Perceptions among NYC voters regarding Adams were already negative prior to the Justice Department’s intervention. Just over half maintained a “very” or “somewhat” unfavorable opinion of him in November, while about one-third viewed him positively. Around 10% of city voters admitted they lacked adequate information to form an opinion about Adams.
Across the entire state of New York, Adams was less recognized; approximately one-third of voters outside NYC were not familiar enough with him to offer an evaluation. Among those who did express an opinion, negative sentiments outnumbered positive views by a margin of three to one.
Concerns regarding corruption loomed large for voters statewide. In the November survey, about 60% labeled corruption as a “major problem,” with another 30% seeing it as a “minor problem.” Notably, Republican voters in New York were more inclined than their Democratic counterparts to identify corruption as a significant issue. Roughly 75% of Republicans expressed this sentiment, in contrast to around half of Democrats. While New York Democrats tended to view corruption as a minor problem, virtually none from either political party dismissed it entirely.
In comparison, New Jersey respondents were more divided, with only about half deeming corruption a major issue. Roughly 40% categorized it as a minor problem, mirroring the trend where New Jersey Republicans were also more likely than Democrats to label it a significant concern. About 60% of Republican voters in that state indicated corruption was a major problem, compared to about 40% among Democrats.
Adams has faced disapproval from New York City voters for an extended period, predating Trump’s involvement in the situation. A Quinnipiac University poll from 2023 showed that around 60% of registered NYC voters disapproved of Adams’ performance as mayor, representing the lowest approval rating for a city mayor since the polling began in 1996.
Many voters believed Adams lacked an understanding of their everyday challenges, questioned his leadership qualities, and found him untrustworthy. They also expressed significant discontent with his approaches to homelessness, the city budget, and crime.
According to AP VoteCast, NYC residents would probably back Gov. Kathy Hochul in her decision to oust Mayor Adams.
