Raleigh, N.C. – Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, co-host of a so-far poorly rated new CNN primetime talk show, is equally disliked as his replacement and former Lieutenant Governor, David Paterson, but Empire State voters still think things would have been better off for the past two years had Spitzer stayed in office.
Spitzer has a negative 30-55 personal favorability rating, with Paterson’s job approval mark exactly the same. Paterson is in the bottom third of the 31 governors PPP has polled in 2010—ten are less popular, but 20 are better liked. Spitzer, at 40-42 to Paterson’s 30-53, is more popular with the two men’s own party members, but Paterson has more favor across the aisle, at 27-64 to Spitzer’s 18-72 among Republicans, and at 33-50 to Spitzer’s 24-60 with independents.
But by a 45-28 margin, voters would have preferred Spitzer still be governor, despite the personal scandals that prompted his resignation. Though less liked with the GOP and unaffiliated voters, New York Republicans and independents evidently feel things are on such a bad track in the state that they still would have rather had Spitzer, albeit by narrow 37-34 and 38-33 margins. Democrats overwhelmingly choose Spitzer, 53-22.
In a list of national figures who are current or former New York elected officials, Hillary Clinton is the best liked, with a 59-36 favorability grade to Rudy Giuliani’s 53-37, Mario Cuomo’s 51-35, Michael Bloomberg’s 43-37, and George Pataki’s 39-37. Giuliani is by far the best liked among independents and with his own base, though Clinton is close behind with her base.
“Eliot Spitzer has been openly flirting with a possible future return to elective office, and he would probably fare well in a Democratic primary,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But the numbers statewide are more an indication that New Yorkers overall would simply prefer anyone else to David Paterson than that they love Spitzer.”
PPP surveyed 592 likely New York voters from October 1st to 3rd. The survey’s margin of error is +/-4.0%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Complete results are attached, and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 If there was an election for Congress today,
would you vote Democratic or Republican?
Democratic……………………………………………… 51%
Republican……………………………………………… 39%
Undecided………………………………………………. 10%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
David Paterson’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 30%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 55%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Eliot Spitzer?
Favorable ………….. 30%
Unfavorable……….. 55%
Not sure ……………. 15%
Q4 Do you think New York would have been better
off for the last 2 years with David Paterson or
Eliot Spitzer as Governor?
David Paterson ……………………………………….. 28%
Eliot Spitzer…………………………………………….. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 27%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Michael Bloomberg?
Favorable ………….. 43%
Unfavorable……….. 37%
Not sure ……………. 21%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Hillary Clinton?
Favorable ………….. 59%
Unfavorable……….. 36%
Not sure ……………. 5%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mario Cuomo?
Favorable ………….. 51%
Unfavorable……….. 35%
Not sure ……………. 14%
Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rudy Giuliani?
Favorable ………….. 53%
Unfavorable……….. 37%
Not sure ……………. 10%
Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of George Pataki?
Favorable ………….. 39%
Unfavorable……….. 37%
Not sure ……………. 24%
Q10 Do you think an Islamic community center
should be built in lower Manhattan, two blocks
from the former site of the World Trade Center?
Yes…………………… 32%
No ……………………. 55%
Not sure ……………. 13%
Q11 Do you think developers have the right to build
an Islamic community center near the former
site of the World Trade Center?
Yes…………………… 59%
No ……………………. 30%
Not sure ……………. 11%
Q12 Do you think a strip club should be built in
lower Manhattan, two blocks from the former
site of the World Trade Center?
Yes…………………… 28%
No ……………………. 54%
Not sure ……………. 18%
Q13 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 40%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 54%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 6%
Q14 If you are a liberal, press 1. If a moderate,
press 2. If a conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 27%
Moderate………………………………………………… 40%
Conservative…………………………………………… 33%
Q15 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%
Q16 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 48%
Republican……………………………………………… 32%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 21%
Q17 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 6%
White …………………………………………………….. 75%
African-American …………………………………….. 13%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%
Q18 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 7%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 23%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 46%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 24%
