Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. Andrew joined Newsweek in 2021 from The Boston Globe. He is a graduate of Emerson College. You can get in touch with Andrew by emailing [email protected]. Languages: English.
Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer‘s favorability rating reached a 20-year low in the latest Siena College poll released on Tuesday.
Newsweek reached out to Schumer’s office for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Schumer of New York faced Democratic outrage after he and a handful of other Senate Democrats supported a procedural move to advance a GOP-backed bill to extend government funding into the fall, despite concerns that it would include cuts to popular programs.
The Democratic Party, as a whole, is at a crossroads with a growing number of its voters feeling frustrated at what they view as a feeble response to President Donald Trump‘s policies. Some Democrats have called for a new generation leadership and primaries against incumbents they believe are not doing enough to oppose the administration.
What to Know
Schumer, who leads Democrats in the Senate, is among the Democrats facing criticism over his handling of Trump. Democratic critics have called for him to face a primary challenge from somebody like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He has faced several polls in recent weeks that suggest the funding bill backlash has eroded his longtime popularity in the Empire State.
A new Siena College poll found that his favorability rating is the lowest it has ever been in 20 years of their polling.
It found that 39 percent of New Yorkers view him favorably, while 49 percent view him unfavorably. In February, 45 percent viewed him favorably, while only 41 percent viewed him unfavorably.
His favorability in a Siena poll hasn’t been that low since February 2005, according to the pollster.
Among Democrats, only 52 percent view Schumer favorably, while 38 percent view him unfavorably, according to the poll. It polled 802 New York state voters from April 14 to April 16, 2025. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
The poll found higher favorability for Ocasio-Cortez, with 47 percent of respondents viewing her favorably compared to 33 percent who viewed her unfavorably. Voters were split on Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, with 44 percent viewing her favorably and 43 percent unfavorably.
What People Are Saying
Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg, in the poll report: “A first in a Siena College poll: Schumer is 10 points underwater, with a plurality of voters viewing him unfavorably. While he continues to be viewed unfavorably by more than two-thirds of Republicans and a majority of independents, Schumer saw his standing with Democrats, particularly liberals, fall dramatically.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, on X, formerly Twitter, last Sunday: “Poll after poll shows the American people are waking up to Trump’s broken promises. In less than 100 days, Trump has threatened health care, Social Security, & raised costs all while catering to the ultra-rich. Democrats won’t stop fighting to limit the damage from Trump’s chaos.”
What Happens Next
Schumer, 74, is not up for reelection until 2028, and he has not confirmed whether he plans to run again. Over the coming years, Democrats will continue debating the best way to move forward after loses in the 2024 election.
