March 28, 2001 - Pataki Close To 50% Mark In Early Look At Gov Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Approve Of Schumer 3 - 1, But Split On Clinton Gov. George Pataki is close to the magic 50 percent mark in an early look at the 2002 reelection race against either State Comptroller H. Carl McCall or former HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Gov. Pataki beats Cuomo in a general election matchup 48 - 36 percent, with 13 percent undecided. Pataki tops McCall 48 - 35 percent, with 16 percent undecided. In a Democratic primary Cuomo gets 40 percent to McCall's 33 percent, with 25 percent of Democrats undecided. In a February 14 poll by the independent Quinnipiac University, Cuomo and McCall were tied 36 - 35 percent among Democrats. From March 20 - 26, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,353 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percent. The survey includes 579 registered Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 4.1 percent. "Andrew Cuomo is holding a slight edge among Democrats, but Gov. Pataki is close to the magic 50 percent mark as the Republican candidate against either Cuomo or McCall," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Running against McCall, Pataki gets 23 percent of Democratic voters; against Cuomo, Pataki gets 21 percent." Voters approve 61 - 24 percent of the job Pataki is doing as governor. Except for a 57 percent approval rating last month, Pataki has hit the 60 percent mark in every Quinnipiac University poll since last May. By a 48 - 16 percent margin, New York State voters have a favorable opinion of Pataki, with 29 percent mixed and 6 percent saying they don't know enough to form an opinion. Favorability ratings for other New York public figures are: Favorable Unfavorable Mixed No Opinion Cuomo 28% 16% 14% 42% McCall 30 4 9 55 Sen. Clinton 34 34 19 11 Sen. Schumer 46 11 18 25 "Sen. Clinton's favorability, 51 - 21 percent in March, 1999, was mixed throughout the long, bruising election campaign, but jumped to 46 - 36 percent in a December 13, 2000, Quinnipiac University poll, " Carroll said. "The honeymoon is over." Clinton's job approval, which was 38 - 30 percent in the February 14 Quinnipiac University Poll, is now at 40 - 38 percent. Sen. Schumer's approval is 60 - 18 percent. Looking at Clinton's character traits, New York State voters say: 52 - 42 percent that she cares about their needs and problems, her lowest rating; 39 - 50 percent that she is honest and trustworthy, her lowest rating; 57 - 38 percent that she understands New York issues and problems, her best rating. Looking at Schumer's character traits, New York State voters say: 59 - 19 percent that he cares about their needs and problems; 63 - 16 percent that he is honest and trustworthy; 73 - 11 percent that he understands New York issues and problems. "Sen. Clinton has been getting the headlines, very few of them good, while Sen. Schumer is getting the high marks from voters," Carroll said. 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 George Pataki is handling his job as Governor of New York? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 61% 64% 48% 70% 81% 46% 63% 66% 35% 45% 66% 56% Disapprove 24 21 33 17 10 35 21 20 44 34 20 27 DK/NA 16 15 19 13 8 18 15 14 20 21 14 17 2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Charles Schumer is handling his job as United States Senator? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 60% 56% 66% 59% 48% 69% 60% 61% 65% 41% 60% 60% Disapprove 18 18 14 22 32 10 15 17 16 26 23 13 DK/NA 22 26 21 19 19 21 25 22 19 33 18 26 3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Hillary Rodham Clinton is handling her job as United States Senator? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 40% 38% 51% 28% 15% 61% 34% 34% 71% 54% 36% 42% Disapprove 38 41 24 50 70 16 41 44 9 21 42 34 DK/NA 23 21 25 22 15 23 26 22 20 25 21 23 4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Approve 48% 53% 33% 59% 84% 27% 47% 53% 27% 27% 52% 44% Disapprove 38 33 49 30 9 57 35 34 51 52 35 39 DK/NA 15 14 18 11 6 17 18 13 22 22 13 16 6. Is your opinion of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about her? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 34% 32% 45% 22% 9% 57% 26% 27% 68% 52% 29% 38% Unfavorable 34 36 20 51 70 10 37 41 4 16 39 31 Mixed 19 21 20 17 15 21 21 20 14 17 19 20 Hvn't hrd enough 11 11 14 6 6 12 13 10 14 15 12 10 REFUSED 2 - 2 3 1 1 3 1 - 1 1 2 7. Is your opinion of Senator Charles Schumer favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 46% 41% 56% 43% 29% 59% 44% 46% 51% 36% 47% 45% Unfavorable 11 12 6 15 23 4 9 11 4 15 16 7 Mixed 18 18 16 20 23 11 23 18 19 13 16 19 Hvn't hrd enough 25 29 22 22 25 25 22 24 25 36 20 28 REFUSED 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 8. Is your opinion of former President Bill Clinton favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 39% 32% 54% 30% 12% 60% 32% 31% 69% 67% 40% 38% Unfavorable 36 41 20 47 70 13 39 43 7 10 40 33 Mixed 24 25 25 21 17 26 27 25 20 22 18 28 Hvn't hrd enough 1 1 - - 1 1 - - 2 - 1 - REFUSED 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 2 1 1 1 9. Is your opinion of Governor George Pataki favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 48% 51% 36% 57% 73% 32% 50% 52% 28% 31% 53% 44% Unfavorable 16 16 20 11 7 25 11 13 30 23 16 16 Mixed 29 26 34 27 16 35 32 28 32 37 25 32 Hvn't hrd enough 6 5 9 5 4 8 5 6 8 7 6 7 REFUSED 1 1 2 - 1 - 2 1 1 1 1 1 10. Is your opinion of State Comptroller H.Carl McCall favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 30% 30% 30% 29% 20% 36% 29% 29% 45% 17% 35% 26% Unfavorable 4 5 3 3 7 2 4 4 1 5 6 2 Mixed 9 10 9 9 12 8 11 9 16 7 9 10 Hvn't hrd enough 55 52 56 59 59 53 54 56 37 69 48 61 REFUSED 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 11. Is your opinion of former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Andrew Cuomo favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Favorable 28% 24% 32% 27% 15% 41% 21% 26% 36% 27% 25% 30% Unfavorable 16 17 10 23 34 6 16 18 6 13 21 12 Mixed 14 13 14 14 12 11 18 14 14 11 11 16 Hvn't hrd enough 42 45 43 35 39 41 44 41 43 49 43 41 REFUSED 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 - - 1 12. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were Andrew Cuomo the Democrat, and George Pataki the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Cuomo 36% 30% 54% 24% 7% 65% 26% 31% 64% 56% 31% 41% Pataki 48 54 30 59 85 21 55 54 20 30 55 42 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 2 1 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 DK/NA 13 12 13 14 6 12 16 13 13 11 11 15 13. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were H. Carl McCall the Democrat, and George Pataki the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom McCall 35% 30% 49% 24% 8% 58% 28% 29% 66% 53% 33% 36% Pataki 48 52 31 60 82 23 54 53 19 30 53 43 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 DK/NA 16 16 18 14 7 17 17 16 12 15 12 19 14. (If registered Democrat) If the Democratic Primary for Governor were being held today and the candidates were H. Carl McCall and Andrew Cuomo for whom would you vote? Registered Democrats.................. Tot Ups NYC Sub Wht Blk Men Wom McCall 33% 31% 34% 34% 28% 50% 45% 25% Cuomo 40 42 38 45 43 31 36 43 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 - 1 - 1 1 1 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 1 1 1 - 1 1 - 1 DK/NA 25 25 27 22 28 17 18 30 21. I'm going to read off some personal characteristics and qualities. As I read each one, tell me if you think it applies to Hillary Rodham Clinton or not? Would you say that Hillary Rodham Clinton -- cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 52% 50% 66% 38% 20% 77% 47% 46% 86% 67% 45% 58% No 42 45 27 56 75 19 47 49 9 26 49 37 DK/NA 6 5 7 5 5 5 6 6 4 7 6 5 22. Would you say that Hillary Rodham Clinton -- is honest and trustworthy or not? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 39% 38% 51% 24% 11% 62% 32% 32% 74% 55% 36% 41% No 50 51 36 67 85 26 55 58 13 34 55 46 DK/NA 11 10 14 9 4 13 13 10 13 11 9 13 23. Would you say that Hillary Rodham Clinton -- understands the issues and problems facing New York State or not? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 57% 54% 71% 45% 32% 79% 51% 53% 84% 73% 54% 60% No 38 41 26 48 64 16 44 42 12 23 41 35 DK/NA 5 5 4 6 4 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 24. I'm going to read off some personal characteristics and qualities. As I read each one, tell me if you think it applies to Charles Schumer or not? Would you say that Charles Schumer -- cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 59% 54% 65% 61% 49% 67% 61% 61% 56% 43% 60% 59% No 19 20 17 21 29 14 19 18 23 34 24 16 DK/NA 21 25 18 18 21 19 21 20 21 23 16 25 25. Would you say that Charles Schumer -- is honest and trustworthy or not? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 63% 58% 66% 65% 52% 70% 64% 65% 58% 48% 64% 61% No 16 16 14 18 23 10 17 14 19 25 19 13 DK/NA 22 26 20 17 25 20 19 21 23 27 17 25 26. Would you say that Charles Schumer -- understands the issues and problems facing New York State or not? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom Yes 73% 69% 76% 76% 68% 77% 76% 76% 65% 60% 76% 71% No 11 12 10 11 15 8 11 9 19 22 13 10 DK/NA 16 19 14 13 17 15 13 15 17 18 11 19
