|
|
Siena Research InstituteSiena College, Loudonville, NY |
Siena New York Poll:
Loudonville, NY – Democrats Eliot Spitzer and Hillary Clinton continue to maintain strong leads over potential Republican opponents in next year’s gubernatorial and senate races. Spitzer has a 13-point lead (50-37 percent) over George Pataki, and he beats Jeanine Pirro by 33 points and Thomas Golisano by 31 points. Clinton beats either Pirro or Edward Cox by 30 points.
“While the Governor’s favorability increased among Republicans, suburbanites and upstaters, he continues to trail Spitzer by a considerable margin and voters are equally divided about their view of Pataki, with 46 percent having a favorable opinion of him and 45 percent having an unfavorable opinion,” said Joe Caruso, Director of Polling for the Siena Research Institute (SRI). “As the Governor prepares to make public his decision on whether he will seek re-election, he would begin his quest for a fourth term from a difficult position with 28 percent of voters (and only 33 percent of Republicans) saying they would re-elect him, while twice as many voters would prefer someone else.
“If the Governor does not run, Spitzer would clobber Pirro if she decides to seek the state’s highest office,” Caruso said. “And he would also crush perennial Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Thomas Golisano, should he try and run as a Republican.”
United States Senator Hillary Clinton’s favorability rating (60-33 percent) and re-elect number (59 percent) are essentially unchanged in the last month.
“Hillary’s popularity among New York voters – with the exception of Republicans – remains strong, with three in five having a favorable opinion of her and believing she should be re-elected,” Caruso said. “Hillary beats Westchester D.A. Pirro or Nixon son-in-law Edward Cox by 30 points.”
More than half of New York voters (52 percent) support expanding the bottle bill to include deposits on juice, water, sports drinks and iced tea, while only 27 percent would support eliminating deposits on all beverage containers and instituting a new tax on recyclable or litter-generating products. One in ten would keep the law as is with no changes.
By a margin of 76-17 percent New York voters support legislation to allow people with illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes, as long as it’s under the supervision of a physician who prescribed it.
“As the legislative session winds down, there is strong support for two bills being considered,” Caruso said. “By a two-to-one margin, New York voters support expanding the bottle bill to include other beverage containers as opposed to eliminating deposits all together and instituting a new tax to help dispose of these materials. And by more than 4 to 1, voters support legislation legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.”
For the fifth consecutive month, fewer than one-third of New York voters feel the state is headed on the ‘right track,’ while 44% continue to believe the state is head in the ‘wrong direction.’
“Downstaters, minority voters and those under 35 are a bit more optimistic about the direction of the state,” Caruso said. “However, those over 35, whites and upstaters overwhelmingly believe the state is headed in the wrong direction.”
# # #
This SRI survey was conducted June 6-10, 2005 by telephone calls to 622 New York State registered voters. It has a margin of error of + 3.9 percentage points. For more information or comments, please call Joe Caruso, SRI Director of Polling, at 518-783-2901. Survey cross-tabulations and frequencies can be found at www.siena.edu/sri/surveys.asp.
|
|
Siena Research InstituteSiena College, Loudonville, NY |
If George Pataki runs for Governor in 2006, would you vote to re-elect him or would you prefer someone else?
Date Re-Elect Prefer Someone Else Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 28 56 16
May, 2005 23 61 16
April, 2005 29 55 17
March, 2005 24 60 16
February, 2005 27 57 16
If the election for Governor were held tomorrow and the candidates were George Pataki on the Republican line and Eliot Spitzer on the Democratic line, for whom would you vote? (Rotate choices)
Date Pataki Spitzer Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 37 50 14
May, 2005 32 55 13
April, 2005 34 48 18
March, 2005 30 53 17
February, 2005 35 51 15
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion about George Pataki?
Date Favorable Unfavorable Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 46 45 9
May, 2005 40 53 7
April, 2005 50 39 11
March, 2005 37 50 13
February, 2005 39 45 16
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion about Eliot Spitzer?
Date Favorable Unfavorable Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 59 15 25
May, 2005 58 17 25
April, 2005 53 18 29
March, 2005 50 18 32
February, 2005 48 17 34
Hillary Clinton has indicated that she is running for re-election to the United States Senate. As things stand now, would you vote to re-elect her or would you prefer someone else?
Date Re-Elect Prefer Someone Else Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 59 34 7
May, 2005 59 36 5
April, 2005 60 34 5
– more –
If the election for United States Senate was held tomorrow and the candidates were Hillary Clinton on the Democratic line and Jeanine Pirro on the Republican line, for whom would you vote? (Rotate choices)
Date Clinton Pirro Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 59 29 12
May, 2005 57 29 14
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion about Hillary Clinton?
Date Favorable Unfavorable Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 60 33 7
May, 2005 58 35 7
April, 2005 60 33 6
March, 2005 58 34 8
February, 2005 61 33 6
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion about Jeanine Pirro?
Date Favorable Unfavorable Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 23 12 65
May, 2005 20 12 68
DEMOCRATS ONLY: If the Democratic primary for New York State Attorney General were held tomorrow and the candidates were (ROTATE CHOICES) for whom would you vote?
June, 2005 3 30 1 21 1 1 5
February, 2005 1 19 1 17 1 0 4
Is New York State on the right track, or is it headed in the wrong direction?
Date Right Track Wrong Direction Don’t Know/No Opinion
June, 2005 30 44 26
May, 2005 29 46 25
April, 2005 29 44 27
March, 2005 26 47 27
February, 2005 32 44 24
What is the single most important issue New York State government should address in 2005? (Rotate choices)
Fighting Improving Protecting Improving
June, 2005 5 27 4 18
April, 2005 5 24 3 22
March, 2005 3 24 3 18
Creating Reforming Passing
June, 2005 19 14 N/A 13 1
April, 2005 16 10 N/A 18 2
March, 2005 14 6 11 17 3
