Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is staring at the weakest approval numbers of his long political career, according to a new Marist poll that shows deep erosion in his home state.
Just over one in four New York voters now give Schumer a positive job rating. Nearly three in four describe his performance as “fair” or “poor,” marking his lowest standing since he entered the Senate in 1999.
Forty-one percent say he is doing a “poor” job. Another 24% rate him as “fair.” Only eight percent say “excellent,” and 19% say “good.”
The numbers represent a 34-point drop from 2025, according to the survey. Republican dissatisfaction hardened significantly, rising from 69% to 84% rating his performance negatively. Democratic criticism ticked up as well, from 46% to 50%.
The poll lands as a partial government shutdown stretches into its second week, affecting agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. Republicans have argued that Democrats miscalculated by tying funding votes to demands for extended Obamacare subsidies.
Schumer previously steered his caucus away from a shutdown earlier in 2025. Months later, he led Democrats into another standoff that became the longest on record after moderates broke ranks and voted to reopen the government.
The internal party tension reflects a broader shift. Progressive activists have openly called for generational change, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez facing pressure from the left to challenge Schumer in 2028. Head-to-head polling in 2025 showed her leading by double digits.
The dissatisfaction extends beyond Schumer. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand also hit her lowest approval rating in more than 15 years.
Just over half of voters rate Gillibrand’s performance as “fair” or “poor.” Only 22% call her work “good.”
Her numbers are 36 points lower than in April 2025 and represent her weakest showing since September 2010. Gillibrand has served in the Senate since succeeding Hillary Clinton in 2009.
New York remains a reliably blue state. But the data suggest that even in deep Democratic territory, patience with longtime incumbents is thinning.
For Schumer, who has held elected office since 1975 and rose to lead Senate Democrats, the message from voters is unmistakable: the home front is no longer secure.
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