August 2, 1999 - Bradley Gains On Gore Among New York Democrats, Quinnipiac College Poll Finds; Bradley Beats Bush, While Gore Ties Gop Leader Former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, the Democrat, would beat the leading Republican contender, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, 46 - 39 percent among New York State voters if the 2000 Presidential Election were held today, according to a Quinnipiac College poll released today. Vice President Gore gets 45 percent to Gov. Bush's 43 percent, a statistical tie. In a Democratic Primary, Gore tops Bradley, 47 - 38 percent. In a July 1 poll by the independent Quinnipiac College, Gore beat Bradley 52 - 34 percent in a Democratic Primary. In the Bradley-Bush matchup, upstate voters back Bush 50 - 34 percent, while suburban voters back Bradley 47 - 40 percent and New York City voters back Bradley 62 - 25 percent. Women back the Democrat 46 - 37 percent, while men back the ex-Knick 46 - 42 percent. In the Gore-Bush matchup, upstate voters go with Bush 53 - 35 percent, while suburban voters back the Republican 48 - 41 percent, and City voters back the Democrat 62 - 26 percent. "The former Knick, former Senator from next-door New Jersey has a respectable 7 - point lead over Gov. Bush, and more importantly, he is closing the gap with Bush and Gore, creating a sense of momentum. Actually, Bradley has held his numbers, while Gore and Bush have dropped," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac College Polling Institute. "Vice President Gore has been locked in a tie with Bush through the last two Quinnipiac College Polls of New York State voters, and that's not a good place for a Democratic Presidential candidate to be." "Gore is still ahead in a Democratic Primary, but Bradley has narrowed the gap," Carroll added. By a 36 - 8 percent margin, New York voters have a favorable opinion of Bradley, with 19 percent mixed and 37 percent saying they haven't heard enough to form an opinion. Favorability ratings among other presidential contenders are: Favorable Unfavorable Mixed No Opinion George W. Bush 34% 19% 25% 21% Al Gore 31 28 32 8 "Gore has the lowest favorability rating of the three top Presidential contenders," Carroll said. "Bradley has the lowest recognition factor, with 37 percent saying they don't know enough about him to form an opinion." President Clinton's overall approval rating has taken a positive bounce, from 63 - 35 percent in the July 1 Quinnipiac College Poll to 67 - 30 percent today. "President Clinton needs to find a way to share some of that 2 - 1 approval rating with his Vice President," Carroll said. Gov. Pataki gets a 56 - 34 percent approval rating from New York State voters, virtually unchanged in three months. From July 20 - 27, Quinnipiac College surveyed 1,241 New York State registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 2.8 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. 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George Pataki is handling his job as Governor of New York? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Approve 56% 59% 44% 66% 80% 43% 57% 61% 52% 54% Disapprove 34 30 45 25 13 47 34 31 36 35 DK/NA 10 10 11 9 7 10 9 8 12 11 2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as President? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Approve 67% 60% 77% 63% 38% 87% 66% 61% 71% 63% Disapprove 30 36 20 34 59 11 31 36 26 35 DK/NA 3 4 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 18. How much attention have you been paying to the election campaign for President in the year 2000 -- a lot, some, only a little, or none at all? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 A lot 27% 24% 28% 30% 35% 23% 25% 35% 20% 25% Some 42 43 40 43 42 44 42 39 45 45 Only a little 24 26 24 22 18 26 25 21 26 23 None at all 7 7 8 5 5 7 7 5 8 7 DK/NA - - - - - - - - - - 19. Is your opinion of Vice President Al Gore favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Favorable 31% 27% 41% 26% 13% 48% 25% 28% 33% 33% Unfavorable 28 31 21 33 55 10 28 34 24 23 Mixed 32 32 29 37 28 33 37 31 33 33 Haven't hrd enough 8 9 10 5 4 8 10 7 9 10 REFUSED - 1 - - 1 1 - - 1 1 20. Is your opinion of former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Favorable 36% 25% 44% 46% 29% 39% 41% 46% 29% 35% Unfavorable 8 6 9 7 10 6 7 11 5 6 Mixed 19 18 18 22 24 19 17 18 20 18 Haven't hrd enough 37 50 29 24 36 36 34 25 46 41 REFUSED - - - 1 1 - - - 1 - 21. Is your opinion of Texas Governor George W. Bush favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Favorable 34% 40% 23% 35% 64% 17% 29% 37% 31% 41% Unfavorable 19 16 28 14 5 31 19 20 19 21 Mixed 25 25 23 29 18 28 29 23 27 19 Haven't hrd enough 21 17 26 21 13 23 23 20 22 18 REFUSED 1 1 1 - - 1 - 1 1 1 22. If the election for President in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Vice President Al Gore the Democrat, and Texas Governor George W. Bush the Republican, for whom you would vote? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Bush 43% 53% 26% 48% 85% 15% 45% 49% 39% 45% Gore 45 35 62 41 9 76 40 41 49 44 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 2 1 2 2 - 1 3 2 1 1 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 2 3 1 2 1 1 3 2 1 3 DK/NA 8 7 10 8 4 7 11 6 10 8 23. If the election for President in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were former United States Senator Bill Bradley the Democrat, and Texas Governor George W. Bush the Republican, for whom you would vote? July 1 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999 Bradley 46% 34% 62% 47% 15% 67% 50% 46% 46% 43% Bush 39 50 25 40 74 19 34 42 37 44 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 2 2 2 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 DK/NA 12 13 11 10 9 10 13 9 13 10 25. (If registered Democrat)If the Democratic Primary for President in the year 2000 were being held today and the candidates were Vice President Al Gore and former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, for whom would you vote? Registered Democrats July 1 Tot 1999 Gore 47% 52% Bradley 38 34 SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 1 1 WON'T VOTE (VOL) 1 1 DK/NA 13 12
