NYS Poll:  Voters Want Further Probe of Governor

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE:  FRIDAY 5:30 P.M. July 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:

·                  Three in five New York State voters think there should be a further investigation into what Governor Spitzer knew:  62% of registered voters think there should be an additional inquiry beyond the New York State Attorney General’s report into what Governor Spitzer knew when his top aides misused the state police to gather information about Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.  33% think the Attorney General’s report should end the discussion, and 5% are unsure.  A majority of Democrats, Republicans, and independents believe the issue should be further investigated.

 

Question Wording: The report issued this week by the New York State Attorney General revealed that top aides to Governor Spitzer improperly used the state police to plant a negative story about New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.  Do you think the report issued by the New York State Attorney General should end the discussion or do you think there should be further investigation into what Governor Spitzer knew about what his top aides did? 

 

 

Registered Voters

Further

Investigate

End

Discussion

 

Unsure

July 2007

62%

33%

  5%

Party

 

 

 

  Democrat

57%

37%

  6%

  Republican

70%

28%

  2%

  Non-enrolled

60%

31%

  9%

Region

 

 

 

  Upstate

59%

37%

  4%

  New York City

61%

31%

  8%

  Suburbs

66%

28%

  6%

·                  Half of the New York State electorate does not think Governor Spitzer is being candid about what he knew:  50% of registered voters think Governor Spitzer was aware of what his aides were doing when they tried to plant a negative story about Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.  38% believe the governor when he says he had no knowledge of the incident.  Republicans are most skeptical.  61% of Republican voters think the governor was aware of his staff’s attempt to embarrass the Senate majority leader.  Democrats are more divided.  45% think Governor Spitzer was aware of what was going on, and 42% believe he had no knowledge of their actions.  50% of independent voters think Governor Spitzer has not been forthcoming about what he knew of his staff’s efforts to discredit Senate Majority Leader Bruno.

 

Question Wording: Do you believe Governor Spitzer when he says he had no knowledge of the actions taken by his top aides in this matter or do you think Governor Spitzer was aware of their actions?

 

 

Registered Voters

Governor Spitzer Had No Knowledge

Governor Spitzer Was Aware

 

Unsure

July 2007

38%

50%

12%

Party

 

 

 

  Democrat

42%

45%

13%

  Republican

32%

61%

  7%

  Non-enrolled

34%

50%

16%

Region

 

 

 

  Upstate

42%

47%

11%

  New York City

39%

48%

13%

  Suburbs

28%

58%

14%

 

·                  Most voters believe Governor Spitzer should testify about what he knew:   New York State’s registered voters, across party lines, overwhelmingly believe Governor Spitzer should be required to testify in an investigation regarding the actions of his staff.  80% of voters want the governor to testify compared with only 15% who do not.  5% are unsure.

 

Question Wording: If there is a further investigation into what Governor Spitzer knew, should he be required to testify or not?

 

 

Registered Voters

Governor Spitzer Should Testify

Governor Spitzer Should Not Testify

 

Unsure

July 2007

80%

15%

  5%

Party

 

 

 

  Democrat

77%

17%

  6%

  Republican

83%

14%

  3%

  Non-enrolled

84%

11%

  5%

Region

 

 

 

  Upstate

84%

14%

  2%

  New York City

75%

17%

  8%

  Suburbs

77%

15%

  8%

 

·                  The good news for the governor is the events of the past week have had little impact on how voters view him:  47% of registered voters rate the job Eliot Spitzer is doing as governor as either excellent or good, inching up from the 43% he received in March.  44% do not currently approve of his performance in office and rate the job he is doing as fair or poor, an increase from 38% in the previous poll.  9% of registered voters are unsure how to rate the governor’s performance in office, a decline from 19% in the spring.

 

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

July 2007

47%

  7%

40%

31%

13%

  9%

Party

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Democrat

52%

  9%

43%

29%

10%

  9%

  Republican

42%

  4%

38%

33%

20%

  5%

  Non-enrolled

43%

  6%

37%

36%

11%

10%

Region

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Upstate

51%

  6%