Recent polling shows New York City Mayor Eric Adams's approval rating is dropping rapidly, widening former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's window to make his political comeback.
A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found that Adams has a 28% approval rating among registered NYC voters, marking the lowest job approval rating for any city mayor since the organization began polling in 1996. Another recent poll from American Pulse & Research Polling found that 44% of Democrats favored Cuomo compared to 24% favoring Adams, with one-third of respondents undecided in a hypothetical Democratic primary between the two.
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Adams's low polling comes at a time when the embattled mayor is facing several challenges at the state and federal levels. Adams has been hit with heavy criticism for his massive budget cuts to the New York Police Department, the worst in decades, which will create a devastating hiring freeze.
The budget cuts stem from the millions of dollars drained by the migrant crisis, as New York City is one of several Democratic-led cities facing an influx of immigrants from the southern border. The city was accommodating at least 130,000 migrants as of mid-October, according to the Adams administration.
The mayor also is facing more serious allegations — a woman accused Adams of sexual assault that occurred in 1993 "while they both worked for the City of New York." Adams has denied the allegations, with a New York City Hall spokesperson stating that the mayor "does not know who this person is."
Additionally, the FBI is investigating Adams regarding allegations that his 2021 mayoral campaign conspired with Turkey to receive illegal foreign donations. Federal agents raided his apartment, seized three electronic devices as part of their inquiry, and searched the residence of an associate. Adams similarly denied any wrongdoing in that matter.
However, the accusations could be powerful enough to sway public opinion away from Adams to Cuomo. More than 7 in 10 New Yorkers believe that Adams's campaign "did something wrong" in connection to the mayor's close ties to Turkey, according to a Marist College poll. With Adams's approval rating slipping, and some Democrats shifting their favorability to the former governor, it is possible that Adams could see Cuomo knocking him out of a position that he has held for a little over a year.
Cuomo would have to overcome many of his own controversies that caused him to resign as the Empire State's governor in August 2021. He faced a barrage of sexual harassment allegations, a scandal-ridden end to the Democrat who was viewed as a nationwide hero for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic — which also has come under fire. A report from the New York attorney general concluded he had harassed more than a dozen women, including current and former workers.
Though adamantly denying the allegations, Cuomo resigned after three terms, allowing former Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul to assume the position and become the first female governor of New York.
In 2022, a New York judge dismissed the only criminal charge filed in connection with the sexual harassment allegations. However, Cuomo is facing a new sexual harassment lawsuit from the same former employee who sued in the criminal charge dropped in 2022. The employee, ex-aide Brittany Commisso, filed the new lawsuit just before the expiration for lawsuits under the Adult Survivors Act, a special law that gave victims of sexual abuse a one-year window for claims that would otherwise be blocked by time limits.
“Ms. Commisso’s claims are provably false, which is why the Albany District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation," Rita Glavin, Cuomo's attorney, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "Ms. Commisso’s transparent attempt at a cash grab will fail. We look forward to seeing her in court.”
Cuomo may not even enter the mayoral race at all — three people familiar with the former governor's plans recently told Politico that he considered Adams a friend and would not run in a primary race against the mayor. Cuomo told the outlet in October that he believed he could run again for political office and "I haven't ruled any in; I haven't ruled any out." He also has been vocal about the controversies hitting Adams all at once.
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“I think they have been very heavy-handed here with the mayor, publicly humiliating the mayor,” Cuomo said in a November interview with Fox 5 New York.
However, Cuomo added that Adams has a job to do, and he said he believes the investigation could hurt his ability to do his job as mayor. He also blasted the migrant crisis in the city, stating that "there is no legal, moral, political argument why New York City should be responsible for 130,000 migrants."