Poll: Voters Like Bloomberg Best for 2010 Governor

By GRACE RAUH, Staff Reporter of the Sun | June 12, 2008

Mayor Bloomberg is the state's top pick for governor, according to a new poll released this morning. When voters were asked whom they would want elected governor in 2010, 30% named Mr. Bloomberg, 26% named Mayor Giuliani, 23% named Governor Paterson, and 15% named Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the Quinnipiac University poll found.

Mr. Bloomberg has led the university's last three polls regarding the 2010 gubernatorial race, although he did drop 2 points in the match-up from the last poll, released April 17. Mr. Paterson rose 6 points since then.

Mr. Bloomberg, speaking to reporters today at Washington DC, where he was testifying about America's infrastructure before a Senate committee, said he is not and would not be a candidate for governor.

"I think it's very flattering and I suspect that Governor Paterson is not particularly worried. And I don't think if Rudy Giuliani wants to run, he would be worried. I am not a candidate for any other office," he said.

Later, when asked if the poll reflected people's unhappiness with Albany, he said he didn't know.

"It's pretty hard to justify a lot of the things that go on in Albany. I've been as critical as anybody else," he said. He added that Mr. Paterson "is a competent, nice guy who's working hard."

"He's only been there a short period of time. He came in under difficult circumstances. Cut the guy a break," he said.

Mr. Bloomberg has reportedly commissioned a private poll that also found voters supportive of him running for governor.

The Quinnipiac poll found that 53% of New York State voters support Mr. Paterson's order that state agencies recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the state, but 55% of voters said the decision should have been made by the state legislature instead of the governor.

When asked about gay marriage, 42% of voters surveyed said same-sex couples should be allowed to legally marry, 31% said the couples should be allowed to enter into civil unions, and 21% said same-sex unions should not be legally recognized.

The poll, which surveyed 1,388 voters, was conducted between June 3 and 8, and had a margin of error of 2.6%.