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Mixed Results For Cuomo In Latest Siena Poll

File photo: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
Pat Bradley
/
WAMC
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

There are mixed results for embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the latest poll from the Siena College Research Institute.

The poll released Monday shows 60 percent of New Yorkers approve the Democrat’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. His favorability rating remains under water, 40-to-52 percent, but by a margin of 51-to-37 percent, New Yorkers do not think Cuomo should resign.

Steve Greenberg is with the Siena poll.

“That is the worst favorability rating Andrew Cuomo has ever had in a Siena College poll in more than 15 years, since he’s been governor, attorney general, and even before that. Never before had more than 50 percent of New Yorkers had an unfavorable view of Cuomo and now 52 percent do,” Greenberg said.

By a 52-to-38 percent margin, New Yorkers say Cuomo — who is facing multiple investigations into his handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes, sexual harassment allegations, and his pandemic memoir — can effectively do his job. Still, by a 44-to-22 percent margin, New Yorkers think Cuomo has committed sexual harassment. 57 percent prefer someone else to run for governor next year, while a third are prepared to re-elect the third-term governor.

“And that number is even worse for Gov. Cuomo when you look at just Democrats, because among Democrats alone, 46 percent are prepared to re-elect him. 43 percent, almost as many Democrats, say they would prefer someone else,” Greenberg said.

As Cuomo continues to resist calls to resign, Greenberg says the governor is retaining some vital support.

“What you have as I said to start is a good news, bad news message from the voters: we think you’ve committed sexual harassment, we don’t like you, we don’t want to re-elect you, we don’t think you’re doing a great job, except when it comes to the pandemic. There we think you’re doing a really good job. We don’t think you should resign. We think you can continue to do the job effectively. Good luck,” Greenberg said.

Cuomo was asked about the poll’s findings at a virtual press conference Monday:

“I don’t know what that means," he said. "I don’t know how people can say I think you’re doing a good job but the favorable goes down. You know they do these polls all the time. Tell you the truth, I don’t put too much stock into them.”

Cuomo also declined to answer a question about how much he was paid for his COVID-19 memoir, which reportedly carried a $4 million advance.

“I bet you I’ve released my personal income taxes for the past 20 years, and I will do that again this year, and you will see everything you want to see in the personal income taxes,” he said.

The poll also found strong support for taxing millionaires, with more than seven in 10 New Yorkers backing the measure, and backing for the new legal marijuana law by a 57 to 36 percent margin.

Meantime, 60 percent of poll respondents have been vaccinated against COVID-19, with another 23 percent planning to. 14 percent of voters say they don’t plan to get a vaccine.

The poll, taken April 11 to April 15, found President Biden with a 62 to 33 percent favorability rating. It has a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.

 

A lifelong resident of the Capital Region, Ian joined WAMC in late 2008 and became news director in 2013. He began working on Morning Edition and has produced The Capitol Connection, Congressional Corner, and several other WAMC programs. Ian can also be heard as the host of the WAMC News Podcast and on The Roundtable and various newscasts. Ian holds a BA in English and journalism and an MA in English, both from the University at Albany, where he has taught journalism since 2013.
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