Marist Institute for Public Opinion

Marist College l Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12601 l (914) 575-5050

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, December 1, 1999

Contact: Dr. Lee M. Miringoff

Dr. Barbara L. Carvalho

Marist College

(914) 575-5050

This Marist College Institute for Public Opinion poll reports:

Rudy vs. Hillary: The Gap Widens

Question Wording: If the next election for U.S. Senate in New York State were held today, whom would you support if the candidates are Rudolph Giuliani, the Republican, and Hillary Clinton, the Democrat?

 

Registered Voters

Rudolph

Giuliani

Hillary

Clinton

Undecided

December 1999

49%

40%

11%

October 1999

46%

42%

12%

September 1999

49%

40%

11%

July 1999

47%

41%

12%

April 1999

43%

43%

14%

March 26, 1999

46%

48%

6%

March 3, 1999

45%

50%

5%

February 1999

38%

49%

13%

January 1999

42%

52%

6%

 

Registered Voters

Rudolph

Giuliani

Hillary

Clinton

Undecided

Region 12/99

Upstate

51%

33%

16%

New York City

39%

55%

6%

Suburbs

55%

34%

11%

Gender 12/99

Men

57%

33%

10%

Women

42%

45%

13%

Registered Voters

Rudolph

Giuliani

Hillary

Clinton

Undecided

Party 12/99

Democrat

27%

63%

10%

Republican

73%

19%

8%

Independent

54%

30%

16%

Race 12/99

White

55%

33%

12%

Black

12%

84%

4%

Latino

34%

56%

10%

Religion 12/99

Protestant

48%

39%

13%

Catholic

55%

36%

9%

White Catholic

59%

31%

10%

Jewish

46%

37%

17%

Question Wording: Would you say you strongly support Rudolph Giuliani/Hillary Clinton, somewhat support him/her, or do you think that you might vote differently on Election Day?

 

Registered Voters

Strongly

Support

Somewhat

Support

Might Vote

Differently

Unsure

December 1999

58%

26%

14%

2%

October 1999

52%

30%

15%

3%

September 1999

58%

27%

12%

3%

Rudolph Giuliani Supporters

December 1999

61%

23%

14%

2%

October 1999

51%

30%

15%

4%

September 1999

59%

26%

12%

3%

Hillary Clinton Supporters

December 1999

54%

30%

14%

2%

October 1999

53%

31%

14%

2%

September 1999

57%

29%

12%

2%

 

 

Question Wording: Please tell me if you have a favorable or an unfavorable impression of each of the following:

Registered Voters

Favorable

Unfavorable

Unsure/Never Heard

Rudolph Giuliani

     

December 1999

60%

27%

13%

October 1999

51%

39%

10%

September 1999

58%

30%

12%

April 1999

51%

27%

22%

March 26, 1999

50%

32%

18%

February 1999

61%

25%

14%

January 1999

53%

36%

11%

Hillary Clinton

     

December 1999

52%

38%

10%

October 1999

50%

39%

11%

September 1999

53%

40%

7%

April 1999

54%

33%

13%

March 26, 1999

56%

33%

11%

February 1999

68%

27%

5%

January 1999

66%

32%

2%

 

A Juggling Act?

Question Wording: Are you concerned a great deal, somewhat, not very much, or not at all that:

 

Registered Voters

A Great

Deal

Somewhat

Not Very

Much

Not

At All

Hillary Clinton will run for the U.S. Senate while serving as First Lady

18%

19%

13%

50%

Rudolph Giuliani will run for the U.S. Senate while serving as mayor of New York City

 

13%

 

21%

 

15%

 

51%

 

Rudy vs. Hillary: Voters’ Scorecard

Question Wording: As a U.S. Senator from New York, do you think Rudolph Giuliani or Hillary Clinton is more likely to:

Registered Voters

Giuliani

Clinton

Undecided

Be a fighter for New York in Washington

60%

29%

11%

Be able to work with others in the U.S. Senate

40%

45%

15%

Be a strong supporter of Israel

32%

30%

38%

 

Carpetbagger vs. Welcome Mat

Question Wording: If Hillary Clinton runs for the U.S. Senate in New York State, are you concerned a great deal, somewhat, not very much, or not at all, about the fact that she is not from New York State?

 

Registered Voters

A Great

Deal

Somewhat

Not Very

Much

Not

At All

December 1999

33%

24%

8%

35%

October 1999

26%

24%

11%

39%

September 1999

27%

24%

13%

36%

July 1999

32%

20%

11%

37%

April 1999

29%

22%

12%

37%

February 1999

25%

21%

14%

40%

 

How’s the Other Clinton Doing?

Question Wording: Would you rate the job President Bill Clinton is doing in office as excellent, good, fair, or poor?

Registered Voters

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Unsure/DK

December 1999

22%

44%

23%

10%

1%

September 1999

18%

42%

22%

18%

0%

July 1999

20%

36%

29%

14%

1%

March 26, 1999

20%

46%

20%

13%

1%

October 1999

25%

43%

18%

13%

1%

April 1998

21%

43%

21%

14%

1%

February 1998

22%

47%

17%

13%

1%

October 1997

14%

47%

26%

12%

1%

March 1997

13%

44%

27%

15%

1%

October 1996

8%

43%

33%

16%

0%

September 1996

8%

43%

37%

11%

1%

March 1996

12%

40%

30%

17%

1%

September 1995

6%

38%

36%

18%

2%

 

Nature of the Sample: 609 New York State Registered Voters

This survey was conducted on November 29th and 30th, 1999. 609 registered voters were interviewed in proportion to the voter registration in each county in New York State and adjusted for turnout in comparable elections. All interviews were conducted by telephone. The results for the entire sample are statistically significant at ± 4%. The margin of error increases for cross-tabulations.

Race

Party

White

82%

Democrat

44%

Black

10%

Republican

34%

Latino

5%

Independent

18%

Asian

2%

Conservative

2%

Other

1%

Liberal

1%

Other

1%

Religion

Ideology

Protestant

30%

Liberal

26%

Catholic

50%

Moderate

45%

Jewish

9%

Conservative

29%

Other

11%

Gender (weighted)

Region

Men

48%

Upstate

45%

Women

52%

New York City

30%

Suburbs

25%