June 14, 2000 - Mayor's Approval Bounces Back To 18-Month High, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; High Marks On Crime, Low Marks On Education, Race Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's approval rating has bounced back to 49 - 45 percent among New York City voters, his highest level in more than 18 months and a 24-point turnaround since April, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. The Mayor's highest ever approval rating was 74 - 23 percent in a February 11, 1998, poll by the independent Quinnipiac University. It stood at 60 -33 percent November 18, 1998. By April 19, 2000, his approval was a negative 37 - 57 percent, his lowest ever. New York City voters approve 53 - 41 percent of the Mayor's handling of crime, and give him a negative 34 - 54 percent for his handling of education. He also gets a negative 21 - 68 percent rating for his handling of race relations. Life in New York City has gotten better since Giuliani became mayor, according to 62 percent of New Yorkers, while 15 percent say it has gotten worse and 19 percent say it has remained the same. "Now that he's out of the Senate race, is Mayor Giuliani on the rebound? This is the first positive approval rating for him since the Amadou Diallo case in February, 1999," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "New Yorkers see their Mayor as a strong leader, and a big majority say life has gotten better since he moved into City Hall, but they still don't see him as a kinder, gentler Mayor." White voters approve of the Mayor 64 - 30 percent, while black voters give the Mayor a negative 13 - 83 percent rating and Hispanic voters give the Mayor a 40 - 49 percent rating. Looking at Giuliani's personal characteristics, New York City voters say: 80 - 17 percent that he can get things done; 27 - 68 percent that he has a likable personality; 74 - 23 percent that he has strong leadership qualities; 48 - 45 percent that he is honest and trustworthy; 26 - 68 percent that he is sympathetic to the problems of the poor; 32 - 60 percent that he works well with other political leaders. Voters give the Mayor a 41 - 38 percent favorability rating, with 20 percent mixed and 1 percent saying they don't know enough to form an opinion. This is up from a negative 35 - 52 percent favorability rating April 19. Among possible mayoral contenders, results are: Favorable Unfavorable Mixed No Opinion Public Advocate Mark Green 40% 12% 16% 30% Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer 30 9 17 43 Controller Alan Hevesi 33 5 14 47 Council Speaker Peter Vallone 30 8 22 39 "We're 15 months away from the Democratic Primary for Mayor, but people still don't know much about the wanna-be roster. These guys have been around for years and their favorability ratings barely move from one poll to the next," Carroll said. From June 6 - 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 815 New York City registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percent. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research. For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu or call (203) 582-5201 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Rudolph Giuliani is handling his job as Mayor? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 49% 64% 13% 40% 51% 46% Disapprove 45 30 83 49 40 48 DK/NA 7 6 4 11 8 6 4. Is your opinion of Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 30% 25% 39% 40% 29% 31% Unfavorable 9 13 4 5 13 6 Mixed 17 14 19 21 17 16 Hvn't hrd enough 43 47 37 32 39 45 REFUSED 1 1 1 1 1 1 6. Is your opinion of City Controller Alan Hevesi favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 33% 39% 27% 19% 38% 29% Unfavorable 5 6 2 3 8 3 Mixed 14 15 18 8 13 16 Hvn't hrd enough 47 39 52 70 41 52 REFUSED 1 1 1 - 1 1 7. Is your opinion of Public Advocate Mark Green favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 40% 41% 47% 28% 40% 41% Unfavorable 12 17 6 4 17 9 Mixed 16 17 17 15 15 17 Hvn't hrd enough 30 25 30 53 27 33 REFUSED - 1 - - 1 - 8. Is your opinion of City Council Speaker Peter Vallone favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 30% 32% 28% 23% 34% 27% Unfavorable 8 10 5 6 11 7 Mixed 22 26 20 15 25 20 Hvn't hrd enough 39 31 46 56 30 46 REFUSED 1 2 1 - 1 1 5. Is your opinion of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 41% 56% 7% 32% 47% 37% Unfavorable 38 24 73 40 33 42 Mixed 20 19 19 28 19 20 Hvn't hrd enough 1 - 1 1 1 1 REFUSED - - 1 - - - 12. Since Rudolph Giuliani became Mayor, do you think the overall quality of life in New York City has gotten better, gotten worse, or has it stayed about the same? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Gotten better 62% 77% 28% 51% 67% 58% Gotten worse 15 5 35 21 13 17 Stayed about the same 19 15 33 24 18 20 DK/NA 3 2 4 4 2 4 14. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling crime? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 53% 67% 22% 39% 60% 47% Disapprove 41 27 73 52 35 46 DK/NA 6 6 5 9 6 7 15. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling education? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 34% 42% 14% 29% 36% 32% Disapprove 54 44 80 60 52 55 DK/NA 12 14 6 10 12 12 16. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling relations between blacks and whites? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 21% 31% 2% 8% 26% 18% Disapprove 68 56 93 83 66 70 DK/NA 11 12 5 9 9 12 I'm going to read off some personal characteristics and qualities. As I read each one, tell me if you think it applies to Rudolph Giuliani or not? 24. Would you say that Rudolph Giuliani can get things done or not? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 80% 91% 58% 71% 84% 77% No 17 8 36 28 14 20 DK/NA 2 1 6 1 2 3 25. Would you say that Rudolph Giuliani has a likable personality or not? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 27% 34% 7% 27% 31% 25% No 68 60 92 69 65 70 DK/NA 5 5 1 4 4 5 26. Would you say that Rudolph Giuliani has strong leadership qualities or not? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 74% 83% 58% 65% 78% 72% No 23 15 38 34 20 26 DK/NA 3 2 4 1 2 3 27. Would you say that Rudolph Giuliani is honest and trustworthy or not? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 48% 65% 15% 29% 55% 42% No 45 30 77 63 39 51 DK/NA 7 5 8 8 6 7 28. Would you say that Rudolph Giuliani is sympathetic to the problems of the poor or not? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 26% 37% 4% 14% 29% 24% No 68 57 94 80 65 71 DK/NA 6 6 2 6 7 5 29. Would you say that Rudolph Giuliani works well with other political leaders or not? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 32% 35% 21% 33% 31% 32% No 60 56 73 61 61 60 DK/NA 8 8 6 6 8 8 30. Under New York City law, a mayor is limited to serving two four year terms. After Rudolph Giuliani finishes his second term as mayor, would you like to see him run for Governor in 2002 or not? Tot Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 37% 51% 5% 20% 40% 35% No 59 44 91 78 55 63 DK/NA 4 5 4 2 5 3
