March 23, 1999 - Mayor Giuliani Narrows Gap With Hillary Clinton, Quinnipiac College Poll Finds; Lowey Tops Lazio In Battle Of Unknowns The undeclared roller coaster race between First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has narrowed to a 50 - 39 percent lead for Mrs. Clinton, according to a Quinnipiac College poll released today. In a February 23 poll by the independent Quinnipiac College, Mrs. Clinton led Mayor Giuliani 54 - 36 percent. If former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato faced Clinton, the First Lady would win 56 - 34 percent. In the February 23 poll, Clinton led 60 - 30 percent. Looking at other possible matchups: Clinton beats Republican Congressman Rick Lazio 56 - 23 percent; Giuliani beats Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey 48 -30 percent; D'Amato and Lowey tie at 39 percent; Lowey beats Lazio 33 - 20 percent, with 38 percent undecided. "The first round of euphoria about Hillary Clinton's possible Senate bid has faded a bit, and both Mayor Giuliani and former senator D'Amato have gained some ground. But New Yorkers still want to send the First Lady back to Washington," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac College Polling Institute. "If Mrs. Clinton doesn't run, Mayor Giuliani thumps Nita Lowey. Clinton does the same to Rick Lazio or Al D'Amato if either get the Republican nod. "And in the battle of the unknowns, undecided comes in first, followed by Lowey, with Lazio a distant third." By a 51 - 21 percent margin, New Yorkers have a favorable opinion of Hillary Clinton, with 21 percent mixed and 5 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion. Giuliani gets a 38 - 26 percent favorability, with 23 percent mixed and 13 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion. Favorability ratings among other possible candidates are: Name Favorable Unfavorable Mixed No Opinion D'Amato 32 42 18 7 Lowey 9 4 5 79 Lazio 8 4 4 83 "The constant media focus on Mayor Giuliani obscures an interesting political fact: 27 percent of upstate voters don't know enough about him to form an opinion. Right now, he's tied 45 - 43 percent with Mrs. Clinton among upstate voters, so he'll be trying to target that 27 percent," said Carroll. "Clinton tops Giuliani 63 - 30 percent among New York City voters. If Giuliani hasn't won these voters after five years as Mayor, he'll have a tough time doing it in the next 20 months. In the suburbs, however, Giuliani gets a 46 - 22 favorability rating, almost the exact opposite of his 29 - 45 percent New York City rating. These same suburban voters are tied 44 - 45 percent between Clinton and Giuliani." Women back Clinton over Giuliani 55 - 35 percent; men are tied at 45 percent each. Women back Giuliani over Lowey 44 - 33 percent; men go 53 - 26 percent for the Mayor. Women back Lowey over Lazio 37 - 18 percent, while men back Lowey 30 - 22 percent. Retiring Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan gets a 64 - 19 percent approval rating, while newly-elected Sen. Charles Schumer gets a 52 - 20 percent approval, with 28 percent undecided. From March 17 - 21, Quinnipiac College surveyed 909 New Yorkers who say they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percent. The Quinnipiac College 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 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 Men Wom Approve 52% 47% 63% 47% 36% 71% 48% 53% 52% Disapprove 20 21 18 21 37 9 20 21 19 DK/NA 28 31 19 32 27 20 32 26 29 3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Daniel Patrick Moynihan is handling his job as United States Senator? Oct 14 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 64% 66% 62% 64% 57% 71% 63% 65% 64% 62% Disapprove 19 20 21 17 29 12 20 22 17 20 DK/NA 16 14 17 19 14 16 17 13 19 18 5. Is your opinion of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about her? Feb 23 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Favorable 51% 48% 58% 48% 27% 74% 46% 46% 56% 54% Unfavorable 21 25 14 22 48 5 21 27 15 20 Mixed 21 20 19 24 21 16 24 18 23 17 Haven't hrd enough 5 5 7 5 3 5 7 6 5 9 REFUSED 1 2 1 1 - 1 3 2 1 1 6. Is your opinion of New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 23 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Favorable 38% 39% 29% 46% 62% 22% 40% 44% 33% 36% Unfavorable 26 13 45 22 8 39 23 24 27 21 Mixed 23 19 23 29 18 27 24 22 24 23 Haven't hrd enough 13 27 2 2 13 11 12 9 16 19 REFUSED 1 1 - 1 - 1 1 1 - 1 7. Is your opinion of New York Congresswoman Nita Lowey favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about her? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 9% 5% 12% 13% 5% 11% 11% 11% 8% Unfavorable 4 4 4 5 9 2 4 5 4 Mixed 5 3 6 8 5 4 6 6 4 Haven't hrd enough 79 87 77 70 78 82 78 75 83 REFUSED 2 1 1 4 2 1 2 3 1 8. Is your opinion of former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 23 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Favorable 32% 33% 27% 37% 55% 21% 29% 35% 29% 23% Unfavorable 42 44 42 39 21 56 43 41 44 39 Mixed 18 16 19 20 21 13 19 18 18 25 Haven't hrd enough 7 6 10 4 2 8 7 5 8 12 REFUSED 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 1 9. Is your opinion of New York Congressman Rick Lazio favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 8% 5% 5% 17% 12% 6% 8% 10% 6% Unfavorable 4 3 5 3 3 4 4 5 3 Mixed 4 2 5 5 5 3 3 4 4 Haven't hrd enough 83 89 84 75 80 86 84 79 87 REFUSED 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 2 - 10. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Rodham Clinton the Democrat, and Rudolph Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote? Feb 23 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Rodham Clinton 50% 45% 63% 44% 16% 79% 43% 45% 55% 54% Giuliani 39 43 30 45 78 14 42 45 35 36 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 2 3 2 2 1 2 3 3 2 2 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 1 3 2 DK/NA 6 6 3 7 3 3 10 6 5 6 11. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Rodham Clinton the Democrat, and Alfonse D'Amato the Republican, for whom would you vote? Feb 23 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Rodham Clinton 56% 52% 67% 48% 18% 84% 52% 50% 61% 60% D'Amato 34 36 25 42 75 10 35 40 29 30 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 1 2 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 3 4 1 4 2 2 4 3 3 3 DK/NA 5 5 5 4 2 2 7 4 5 5 12. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Rodham Clinton the Democrat, and Rick Lazio the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Rodham Clinton 56% 51% 69% 48% 21% 85% 51% 51% 61% Lazio 23 25 10 34 50 7 22 27 19 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 2 2 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 3 3 4 3 5 1 4 4 3 DK/NA 16 18 15 13 21 6 21 17 14 13. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Nita Lowey the Democrat, and Rudolph Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Lowey 30% 19% 44% 29% 6% 51% 25% 26% 33% Giuliani 48 52 36 57 84 24 51 53 44 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 2 3 2 1 - 2 3 2 2 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 3 4 4 1 2 4 2 4 3 DK/NA 17 22 14 12 8 19 19 15 19 14. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Nita Lowey the Democrat, and Alfonse D'Amato the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Lowey 39% 35% 46% 38% 10% 61% 38% 36% 42% D'Amato 39 39 33 46 75 20 36 42 36 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 2 4 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 4 5 4 2 3 4 5 5 3 DK/NA 15 17 15 13 10 13 18 15 16 15. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Nita Lowey the Democrat, and Rick Lazio the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Lowey 33% 28% 43% 29% 8% 56% 28% 30% 37% Lazio 20 19 11 32 45 9 17 22 18 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 2 3 4 1 2 1 4 3 2 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 7 7 8 4 6 4 8 7 6 DK/NA 38 43 33 35 39 29 43 39 36
