New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s standing with voters has climbed since last month’s election, according to a new Siena College poll.
Why It Matters
Mamdani’s victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo—who ran as an independent—and Republican Curtis Sliwa was seen as a significant win for the political left. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Mamdani is expected to draw national attention as Democrats debate whether a more progressive or centrist strategy is the best path forward after the party’s 2024 losses.
What To Know
Mamdani ran strongest with progressive Democrats during the campaign, while performing less decisively among more moderate voters. Many of those voters backed Cuomo, who positioned himself as a centrist alternative after losing to Mamdani in the primary.
How effectively Mamdani broadens his coalition beyond his base could become an early test once he takes office in January. The new poll suggests he may already be making gains.
Poll Findings
The Siena College poll found Mamdani’s statewide favorability has improved since November. His rating now stands at +15, with 46 percent viewing him favorably and 31 percent unfavorably. In November, his statewide numbers were effectively neutral, with 40 percent favorable and 40 percent unfavorable.
Within New York City, the results are stronger: 61 percent of respondents reported a favorable view, compared with 23 percent unfavorable. In November, those figures were 55 percent favorable and 31 percent unfavorable.
Siena pollster Steven Greenberg described the moment as a voter “honeymoon” period. He wrote: “Two-thirds of Democrats across the state view him favorably. Independent voters are now leaning favorably by six points, while they were six points on the unfavorable side in November. And while he’s viewed favorably in New York City, 61 percent to 23 percent, voters outside the City, who were decidedly negative toward him last month, are now close to breakeven.”
The poll also measured support for several proposals associated with Mamdani’s agenda. It found 65 percent of New York State voters support offering universal, free child care for families with young children. In New York City, 50 percent of voters support eliminating fares on city buses.
Siena surveyed 801 registered New York voters from December 8–12, 2025, with a margin of error of ±4.1 percentage points.
What People Are Saying
Siena pollster Steven Greenberg wrote in the polling memo: “Two-thirds of City voters and a small plurality of voters outside the Big Apple say Mamdani’s election will be good for New York City. Two-thirds of Democrats say his election is good and two-thirds of Republicans say it is bad. Independent voters, some 43 percent to 30 percent, up from 38 percent to 40 percent last month, now say it will be good.”
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani told CBS New York on Sunday: “I think this will be a questionable job. There’s no question about it. John Lindsay once said it’s the second most difficult job in the United States. But I also think there have been many who have failed to even try to deliver for working class New Yorkers. They have left that discussion at the door. When in fact, what we need to do is make City Hall a place that is fighting for working people.”
President Donald Trump said after meeting Mamdani in November: “We had discussions on some things. I’m not going to discuss what they were, but I feel very confident that he can do a very good job. I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”
Joseph Viteritti, the Thomas Hunter professor of public policy at Hunter College, told Newsweek that Mamdani is “now an established winner” and has “gained credibility by proceeding cautiously and recruiting experienced administrators while not abandoning his basic principles.”
“His affordability agenda has resonated both locally and nationally,” Viteritti said. “His ability to advance it is the big test ahead. If he succeeds, he is obviously a winner.”
Viteritti added that if Mamdani is unable to move his agenda forward, the key question will be “whether that failure reflects more poorly on him or those who opposed him.”
What Happens Next
Mamdani’s inauguration is set for January 1, 2026.
