New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani just hit his highest approval rating ever—and it’s not even close.

According to a new Siena Research Institute poll, Mamdani’s favorability among New York City voters has surged to 68 percent after taking office, with just 20 percent viewing him unfavorably. That’s a net positive of 48 points—the highest favorability rating recorded for any politician in the survey.

THE DETAILS: The statewide numbers tell a similar story. Mamdani clocked in at 48 percent favorable versus 32 percent unfavorable statewide—up from 46-31 in December. Among Democrats, 64 percent view him favorably. Even independents are on board at 43-31. Republicans? Not so much—68 percent view him unfavorably. (Surprise.)

The Siena survey was conducted January 26-28 among 802 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

WHY IT MATTERS: Mamdani’s rise isn’t an accident. Throughout the 2025 mayoral campaign, he consistently led polls by running hard on affordability and housing—issues that actually affect people’s daily lives. A September New York Times/Siena survey showed him at 46 percent in a four-way race, with strong support on cost-of-living concerns.

Now, barely a month into his term, he’s riding what Columbia political scientist Robert Y. Shapiro describes as a “honeymoon effect”—but with actual substance behind it. “He has not done anything disruptive so far, has worked with Governor Hochul on free child care possibilities, and he has done ok in handling the snow storm and current cold weather,” Shapiro told Newsweek. “The crime issue has not posed a problem and things seem relatively good on that front.”

So far, he’s running his mayoralty as cleanly as his campaign, despite the flailing image the New York Post is trying to sell:

OF COURSE: There’s also a contrast effect at play. While the Trump administration’s ICE raids have created chaos and fear across the country, Mamdani has positioned himself as a steady, competent alternative. “By contrast with the disruption caused by ICE and the Trump administration, he has also looked comparatively good,” Shapiro noted.

BOTTOM LINE: These numbers are remarkable for any politician, let alone one just weeks into office. But as Shapiro warned, “this can change quickly as we know well.” Future polling will test whether Mamdani can sustain his standing as his policies roll out and the political landscape shifts. For now, though, he’s proven that running on issues people actually care about—housing, affordability, basic competence—can translate into real political power.