| The Siena poll released today delivers more bad numbers for Governor David Paterson and shows that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's numbers are down.
Governor Paterson has a 29 percent favorable rating in the new poll. It is the first time since May that his numbers dropped below 30 percent and does not serve him well after the news came out that President Barack Obama doesn't want Paterson to run next year. It is hard to make a case for Paterson running next year with numbers like that a year out from the primary.
When asked about next year's elections, 71 percent said that they "prefer someone else" over Paterson. That is a tie for the highest percentage of respondents saying that they want someone other than Paterson. Only 14 percent said they would elect Paterson.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo fares better than Paterson in a primary and against hypothetical general election opponents. If the race between Cuomo and Paterson was held today, Cuomo would win 66 percent to 20 percent. In general election contests, Paterson beats Republican Lazio 39 percent to 35 percent with Cuomo beating Lazio 64 percent to 18 percent. Paterson loses to Republican Rudy Giuliani 52 percent to 35 percent with Cuomo knocking off Giuliani 52 percent to 39 percent.
By comparison, Cuomo's favorable rating is at 66 percent. In a separate question, 47 percent of respondents said that they would rather see Cuomo run for governor than attorney general.
For Gillibrand, the numbers are a little better given her time in office (eight months) and her status as still a statewide unknown. Her favorable rating is 29 percent, which is the same as last month. However, her unfavorable rating is at 24 percent - the highest it has been since Siena starting asking people about Gillibrand.
The poll only focused on one possible opponent for Gillibrand this month and that was Giuliani. In the matchup, Giuliani would win 46 percent to 38 percent. Those numbers aren't bad considering Giuliani's name recognition statewide compared to Gillibrand. But it does show Gillibrand has a long way to go.
A final stat to take notice of in the poll is this question:
As things stand now, if the election for State Senate were held today, would you vote to re-elect your incumbent Senator or would you prefer someone else?
Only 38 percent of respondents said they would vote to re-elect their incumbent senator. Another 45 percent said they would vote for someone else. Those numbers are worth highlighting because of everything that has happened in the state senate. I don't think it should sweep up the good senators, but I do hope it rids the New York State Senate of ineffective legislators whose only goal in Albany is to line their own pockets and expand their influence. |
