NYC Voters Turn on Mayor Eric Adams over Handling of Crime

A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows that New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), who made tackling crime a central plank of his successful election campaign last November, is being punished by disillusioned voters for his inability to deliver.

The poll shows crime is the top concern of 49 percent of city voters — more than triple the 15 percent of respondents who cited affordable housing and 12 percent homelessness. But only 37 percent of city residents approved of Adams’s performance on crime, compared to 54 percent who disapproved.

This is a reversal from the 49 percent who approved and 35 percent who disapproved in a survey as recently as last February.

Twenty-five percent of registered Republicans approved of the new mayor’s handling of crime, compared to 45 percent of Democrats and 35 percent of independents. And along racial lines, 34 percent of white residents approved, compared to 46 percent of black residents and 33 percent of Hispanic respondents.

Violent crime has mostly worsened during Adams’ four months in office as an overwhelming majority of voters (86 percent) support having more police officers in the New York City subway system, while 12 percent oppose it.

The mayor’s overall job approval also took a hit — with 43 percent of voters approving and 37 disapproving disapproving.

In Quinnipiac’s February poll, 46 percent of voters approved of Adams’ job as mayor while only 27 percent disapproved.

“Mayor Adams gets a positive score on his job performance, but it’s tepid. The biggest weight on his numbers: crime. It’s by far the most urgent issue and voters are holding him accountable,” said Quinnipiac Poll analyst Mary Snow.