Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is plumbing depths of unpopularity not seen in over two decades.
According to a recent Siena College poll, Schumer’s favorability rating has cratered to a mere 32% among state voters, while 55% view him unfavorably, coinciding with sharp criticism from progressive Democrats over his role in a prolonged government shutdown standoff, as the New York Post reports.
Let’s rewind to brighter days for Schumer, a political fixture in New York for five decades. Since the 1970s, he’s climbed from state assemblyman to Brooklyn congressman, landing in the U.S. Senate by 1998.
Back in early 2005, Schumer was riding high with a 63-20% favorability split in Siena’s first modern poll, peaking at 70-22% by mid-year.
“In February 2005 -- the first Siena Poll in its current incarnation -- Schumer had a 63-20% favorability rating,” noted Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg. That golden era feels like ancient history now, as Schumer’s current numbers suggest a stunning fall from grace—or perhaps a disconnect from today’s voter priorities.
Fast forward to the latest Siena survey, conducted Nov. 10-12 among 802 registered voters, and the picture is grim with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 points. Schumer’s negative ratings cut across nearly every demographic -- liberals, moderates, conservatives, all ages, regions, and both genders. It’s a rare feat to unite such a diverse crowd in disapproval.
Even among registered Democrats, Schumer barely scrapes by with a 45-43% favorable-unfavorable split. That’s hardly a ringing endorsement from his own party base.
Break it down further, and the numbers sting more: 63% of white voters and 58% of Hispanic voters give him a thumbs down, while Jewish voters are nearly split at 46-47%. Only among black voters does he retain a solid 59-22% favorable edge, a lone bright spot in a sea of discontent.
Geographically, Schumer’s support is underwater everywhere. Even in New York City, just 38% view him positively against 48% who don’t, while downstate suburbs and upstate regions reject him by wide margins.
“Schumer is viewed unfavorably by a plurality of New York City voters, and strong majorities of downstate suburbanites and upstaters,” Greenberg added. If even the Big Apple’s crowd isn’t buying what Schumer’s selling, one wonders if his brand of establishment politics has simply run its course in an era craving bolder action.
Adding fuel to the fire, left-wing Democrats are openly calling for the 74-year-old senator to step aside. They argue he’s failed to wring meaningful concessions from President Trump and GOP leaders during the record-breaking government shutdown, a misstep they see as emblematic of outdated leadership.
Meanwhile, a younger star in the Democratic constellation, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), outshines Schumer with a 42-37% favorability rating statewide. Among Democrats, she boasts a 62-20% split, and in New York City, it’s 55-27% in her favor.
Some progressive voices are even whispering about Ocasio-Cortez challenging Schumer in a future Democratic Party primary if he runs again in 2028. While that’s speculative, it signals a generational and ideological rift that Schumer can’t ignore.
Schumer’s long tenure once seemed a strength, a testament to steady experience in turbulent times. But as voter frustration mounts, that same longevity might now paint him as a relic, out of touch with a state hungry for fresh ideas over familiar faces.
At the end of the day, Schumer’s historic low of 32% favorability isn’t just a number -- it’s a warning. New Yorkers, from city dwellers to upstate folks, seem to be asking if their senator still represents their fight, or if it’s time for new blood to take the ring. While change isn’t guaranteed, the Siena poll makes one thing clear: Schumer’s grip on voter goodwill has never been shakier.
