New York – Support for New York’s top Democrats among independent voters is eroding as voters remain dissatisfied with government in Albany and Washington, a poll released Monday shows.
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The Siena College poll found Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo, the state attorney general, has lost some ground and his Republican opponents in the governor’s race are looking better to voters. Cuomo’s favorability rating dropped to its lowest level since 2008. While still high at 59 percent, that’s 8 points lower than when he announced his candidacy last month. His lead among independent votes dropped 20 points.
The trend is similar for the state’s U.S. senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats. While Siena found Schumer and Gillibrand still have wide leads over their largely unknown Republican challengers, just 36 percent of respondents gave Gillibrand a favorable rating, down from 42 percent last month. Schumer’s favorable rating was down 10 points to 54 percent.
“Independent voters across the board moved away from Democrats and toward Republicans over the last few weeks,” said Siena’s Steven Greenberg. “I think independents are looking at government in Albany and Washington and seeing the Democrats are in complete control … and they are not happy with the state or the national direction.”
Greenberg said 15 percent of independents polled blame Republicans for what they see as bad government, while 27 percent blame Democrats. Forty-eight percent blame both parties equally.
He said Gillibrand may have fallen hardest. She went from double-digit leads over rivals among independents to trailing, although only slightly.
While campaigning in Albany, Gillibrand said Washington hasn’t been listening to the concerns of everyday people.
“This is exactly why you’re having a backlash and a concern nationwide,” Gillibrand said. “They want to see better results on turning the economy around and creating jobs, and that’s what I’m working on.”
The Republicans seeking Gillibrand’s seat are Bruce Blakeman, David Malpass and Joseph DioGuardi. Gary Berntsen and Jay Townsend are seeking the Schumer seat.
In the governor’s race, Republican candidates Rick Lazio and Carl Paladino, who’s trying to petition his way into a GOP primary, have narrowed Cuomo’s lead to its smallest in the race so far.
Greenberg pointed out that still Cuomo maintains a 2-to-1 lead, which is strong in an anti-incumbent, anti-government atmosphere.
Siena surveyed 808 registered voters last Monday through Wednesday. The poll has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.
Dump all dems if they don’t condemn obama’s dangerous mid-east policy!
I’m no pollster, but anything that examines popularity of a politician today is related directly to their adherence and support versus condemnation of Obama policy. As a voter, I have pledged to vote against any candidate that supports Obama. So all these polls,as well as their exact numbers do not provide much information, except that Obama’s ratings are plummeting. What a shame we cannot force him to a revote. We have 2 years left to watch the damage he’s doing to the country. let’s commit to making sure he loses the clout in the legislative branch to slow the leak of democracy to the pressures of socialism.
I have written to all my elected officials begging them to speak out loudly against Obama’s brown nosing of the Muslims and all other enemies of Jews everywhere.
The more people realize what an empty suit this guy is the more ground he will lose. Let’s not forget the mortgage crisis when this guy as Housing Secretary was forcing banks to make these questionable loans which caused the banking collapse. Throw out all Democrats.