Cuomo’s popularity skyrockets as New Yorker give him high marks for handling of coronavirus crisis: Siena poll

In this March 24 photo, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference against a backdrop of medical supplies at the Jacob Javits Center that will house a temporary hospital in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in New York.(John Minchillo/AP)

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo is getting high marks for his coronavirus response from typically hard-to-please New Yorkers, according to a Siena College poll released Monday.

A whopping 87% of New Yorkers approve of the job the governor is doing to address COVID-19 outbreak in the Empire State, the poll found.

“In the midst of this global pandemic, New Yorkers approve of Governor Cuomo’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic with near universal support," said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.

A plurality of voters from every corner of the the state approve of his handling of the crisis, including 95% of Democrats, 87% of independents and even 70% of Republicans, Greenberg noted.

Cuomo has also seen his overall approval rating among New Yorkers soar from the mid-forties in February to 71% in this past month.

As the Empire State has become the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, the governor has received widespread praise for his crisis management skills and the steps the state has taken to stem the spread.

On Sunday, the governor extended an executive order mandating all non-essential workers stay home for another two weeks as the number of cases in the state continues to swell.

Cuomo’s now-daily press conferences, aired on all major cable news channels, have become must-watch TV for a country grappling to come to terms with the life-altering reality of the situation.

According to the Siena poll, 79% of respondents say the state is doing everything it can to protect the health of New Yorkers.

In the city, 61% of voters said they give a thumbs up to Mayor de Blasio’s leadership over the past few weeks.

On the federal level, New Yorkers are not big fans of President Trump’s role recently, only 41% of people approve of the commander-in-chief’s handling of the crisis.

“President Trump... gets praise from 82% of Republicans, but 52% of independents and 79% of Democrats disapprove of the job he’s doing," Greenberg said.