NYS Poll: Jury Still Out on Eliot Spitzer as Governor

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: TUESDAY 6:00 P.M. MARCH 27, 2007

All references must be sourced WNBC/Marist Poll

Contact: Dr. Lee M. Miringoff

Dr. Barbara L. Carvalho

Marist College

845.575.5050

This WNBC/Marist Poll of New York State reports:

· Nearly one in five New York State voters are unsure how to rate the job Eliot Spitzer is doing as governor: Eliot Spitzer, who received high praise from many New York State voters as attorney general, is having to prove himself once again to voters in his new job as governor. 19% of registered voters statewide are unsure how to rate the job he is doing so far. Among voters who express an opinion, 43% approve and rate the job Spitzer is doing as governor as excellent or good. 38% of registered voters do not approve and rate the job he is doing as fair or poor. In a similar poll conducted during Governor Pataki’s first months in office in 1995, 36% of registered voters approved of the job he was doing in office, and 44% did not approve. 20% of voters at that time were unsure how to rate the new governor. In May 1983, Governor Cuomo’s first year in office, he received an approval rating of 49%. 38% did not approve of the job Governor Cuomo was doing, and 13% were unsure how to rate him.

Question Wording: Would you rate the job Governor Eliot Spitzer is doing in office as excellent, good, fair, or poor?

Registered Voters	Excellent/ Good	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor	Unsure/ DK
March 2007	43%	8%	35%	30%	8%	19%
Party
Democrat	46%	12%	34%	30%	6%	18%
Republican	39%	5%	34%	32%	12%	17%
Non-enrolled	43%	5%	38%	30%	8%	19%
Previous Governors
Governor George Pataki
March 1995	36%	8%	28%	28%	16%	20%
Governor Mario Cuomo
May 1983	49%	10%	39%	30%	8%	13%

· Many voters praise Governor Spitzer’s leadership, but his image is in black and white: 60% of registered voters think Eliot Spitzer is a good leader for New York State. But, African American voters have a very different impression of the new governor than voters as a whole. 63% of white voters and 66% of Latino voters see Spitzer as a good leader for the state. This contrasts with the perceptions of many African American voters. Only 39% of African American voters think Governor Spitzer is a good leader, 27% do not, and 34% are unsure. The debate over health care seems to have taken its toll. 45% of voters statewide think Governor Spitzer can be trusted to do the right thing on health care, 34% do not think so, and 21% are unsure. But, voters again divide along racial lines. 45% of white voters and 62% of Latino voters think Governor Spitzer can be trusted on health care compared with only 22% of African American voters who share this view. 45% of African American voters do not think he can be trusted on this issue, and 33% are unsure. Governor Spitzer is also perceived by 56% of registered voters statewide as a new kind of independent politician, and a majority of voters think he is changing the way things work in Albany. Only 38% of New York State voters think his style is too confrontational.

Question Wording: I'm going to read you several statements about Governor Eliot Spitzer. Please tell me if you agree or disagree with each one:

Registered Voters	Agree	Disagree	Unsure
He is a good leader for New York State	60%	22%	18%
White	63%	21%	16%
African American	39%	27%	34%
Latino	66%	26%	8%
He can be trusted to do the right thing in health care for NYS	45%	34%	21%
White	45%	34%	21%
African American	22%	45%	33%
Latino	62%	24%	14%
He is a new kind of independent politician	56%	29%	15%
White	59%	27%	14%
African American	45%	34%	21%
Latino	68%	25%	7%
He is changing the way things work in Albany for the better	54%	28%	18%
White	57%	26%	17%
African American	25%	44%	31%
Latino	72%	15%	13%
His style as governor is too confrontational	38%	47%	15%
White	39%	48%	13%
African American	39%	46%	15%
Latino	49%	41%