Cuomo’s Ratings High But Slipping

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ratings among New York voters have slipped, though he still leads the only declared Republican candidate for governor by 35 points, according to a poll released Monday.

The Siena College poll shows the Democrat leading Westchester County executive Rob Astorino 61 to 26 percent. Astorino, who announced his candidacy this month, remains little known eight months before the elections, with 65 percent of voters polled either not knowing who he is or having no opinion.

The percentage of voters who rated Cuomo’s job performance as excellent or good dropped two points from the previous month to 46 percent. His favorability rating also was down two points to 58 percent. And the percentage who said they would vote to re-elect him fell to 49 percent, the lowest number recorded for Cuomo and the first time it dropped below the significant 50 percent.

The poll found voters pessimistic about public education and the economic well-being of New Yorkers, with pluralities saying things have gotten worse since Cuomo became governor.

Despite the numbers, Siena pollster Steven Greenberg noted that 64 percent said Cuomo was an effective governor. Voters seem to be in a state of flux as they learn about issues and candidates.

“There’s a lot movement, that’s not surprising,” Greenberg said. “Plus they were coming out of a long, cranky winter.”

A year after the gun-control law was enacted, voters support it by a 2-to-1 margin. They support Cuomo’s proposal for state-funded college for prison inmates by a 53-43 percent margin. Fifty-six percent oppose the Dream Act.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the March 25th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.