Governor Andrew Cuomo is at a record low approval rating, according to the latest Siena Research Institute survey. The poll found Cuomo’s job approval at 44 percent, down from 52 percent last month. He is still viewed favorably by over 60 percent of those surveyed.
Nonetheless, the Governor remains a formidable candidate as he heads for his reelection bid in 2014, trouncing potential challengers.
In a hypothetical 2014 matchup, Cuomo would trounce Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino 63-24, coast pass Republican State Chairman Ed Cox 62-25 and blow out Carl Paladino 65-24.
As a matter of fact, Cuomo has raised by far the most money of any gubernatorial candidate in the country entering a 2014 race, according to the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Cuomo’s $27.8 million of cash on hand in his campaign account as of July—his most recent filing—is nearly three times as much as the second-most-successful gubernatorial fundraiser, his fellow Democrat Jerry Brown, the California governor who has $10 million.
Cuomo is expected to disclose more contributions in the upcoming January filing after a summer of heavy fundraising, according to people familiar with the matter. In July and August, he held pricey events in the Hamptons, including one featuring a performance by Jon Bon Jovi. In December, Billy Joel is slated to perform at the governor’s annual birthday fundraiser, a party that typically brings in about $1 million.
Bruce Gyory, a Democratic political consultant unaffiliated with Mr. Cuomo, told the WSJ the governor would likely have to spend between $20 million and $30 million on his re-election effort—similar to the $28 million he spent to win by a huge margin in 2010.
The only person that would cause Cuomo some discomfort is the newly reelected Governor of neighboring New Jersey. Christie has a 63-25 percent favorability rating overall in New York compared to Cuomo’s 61/32 favorability.
In a potential 2016 presidential matchup, Gov. Christie would beat Cuomo 47 percent to 42 percent, the Siena College poll found.
“New Yorkers might like to poke fun at their Garden State neighbors – what New Yorker doesn’t know a good Jersey joke? – but voters here like Chris Christie, the recently re-elected Republican governor. And it’s not just Republicans,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.
Jewish voters, however, find Governor Cuomo a more favorable figure. He enjoys a 72/25 favorable rating compared to Christie’s 58/31, but would lose to Christie in a presidential matchup 48-44.
Overall, Greenberg said, “Christie is besting Cuomo by five points. Cuomo’s New York City lead is not enough to offset Christie’s comparable upstate and suburban leads, not to mention Christie’s 21-point lead among independent voters.”
(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)
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One Response
1. If Cuomo seems beatable it will attract candidates.
2. None of the listed opponents has been campaigning in a way that will win state wide name recognition, that will change.