By Colin Campbell 4/16 11:30pm

Numbers Game

(Photo: Getty)

Poll: Anthony Weiner Would Enter Race in Second Place

Should he enter this year’s mayoral race, former Congressman Anthony Weiner would start at a decent position–15 percent–according to a new NBC New York-Marist poll released this evening. In the Democratic primary survey, Council Speaker Christine Quinn continues to lead the pack with 26 percent, with Comptroller John Liu, former Comptroller Bill Thompson and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio narrowly behind Mr. Weiner.

However, the key takeaway might not be the exact percentages, but rather the increased difficulty any candidate would have in reaching the 40-percent threshold to avoid a run-off with Mr. Weiner in the race. Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/30 9:33am

Numbers Game

(Photo: Getty)

Poll: Cuomo’s Popularity Takes a Tumble After Gun Control

Governor Andrew Cuomo reached his all-time high job approval last month, with 74 percent of the state’s voters telling Quinnipiac University that they approve of the governor’s performance and only 13 percent taking the opposing position. As Mr. Cuomo himself predicted yesterday, however, his support dropped after he quickly pushed the passage of a new gun policy package earlier this month. He now stands at a still-respectable 59 – 28 approval rating.

In a Quinnipiac survey released this morning, Republicans appear to be a key factor in Mr. Cuomo’s doubling disapproval number, likely due to the controversial gun control issue. Indeed, while only 34 percent of New Yorkers said the new legislation went “too far,” 59 percent of the state’s Republicans begged to differ. Mr. Cuomo’s GOP approval fell from an astounding 68 – 18 percent on December 12–just two days before the Newtown massacre–to 44 – 43 today. Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/29 12:12pm

recoil

(Photo: Getty)

Cuomo Predicts Lower Poll Numbers After New Gun Laws

Governor Andrew Cuomo says his popularity probably took a shot after he pushed through a controversial gun policy package earlier this month.

The prognostication in question came during a Tuesday morning radio interview with New York Post columnist Fred Dicker. Mr. Dicker, who’s sparred with Mr. Cuomo in the past on the issue, predicted Mr. Cuomo’s typically sky-high numbers would take a tumble in the next statewide survey and Mr. Cuomo simply agreed.

“We know what the polls say on this because we’ve done it. We haven’t done it after the fact, but they were clear enough before the fact,” Mr. Cuomo replied. “I think your prediction is right.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/16 8:34am

Survey Says

(Photo: Getty)

Poll: Christine Quinn Continues to Lead Democratic Primary

Quinnipiac University Polling Institute is out with another survey of New York City voters today and Council Speaker Christine Quinn, with 35 percent of the vote, still posts a wide margin over her main Democratic rivals in the campaign for City Hall. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio came in second with 11 percent, followed by former Comptroller Bill Thompson at 10 percent and Comptroller John Liu’s 9 percent.

“Council Speaker Christine Quinn still dominates the Democratic field,” Maurice Carroll, the polling firm’s director, said in a statement. “There is almost no gender gap for any candidate. For example, Quinn gets 36 percent of women and 34 percent of men, while Liu gets 10 percent of men and 9 percent of women.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 7:39am

2013

(Photo: Getty)

Poll: Christine Quinn Still Leads Mayoral Field

“Okay, the race for the White House is over and it’s time to look at the New York City mayoral race, where the possibly decisive Democratic primary could be as early as June. The morning line? City Council Speaker Christine Quinn leaves the other Democratic contenders in the dust,” Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a statement with his latest survey.

The numbers indeed show Ms. Quinn far ahead, with 32% support among registered Democrats, even as she faces off against two citywide elected officials, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Comptroller John Liu, and 2009′s nominee, Bill Thompson. Mr. Thompson barely edged out Mr. de Blasio for the silver medal, 10 to 9 percent, with Mr. Liu standing at 5 percent. Read More

By Colin Campbell 11/20/12 7:53am

new jersey style

(Photo: Getty)

New Yorkers Dig Chris Christie’s Storm Response

Is it the wet fleece? It’s not immediately clear, but according to a new Quinnipiac University Polling Institute survey, New York City voters gave the highest storm response-marks to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, preferring his tactics over President Barack Obama, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Quinnipiac’s director, Maurice Carroll, said these numbers can be attributed to Mr. Christie’s full embrace of Mr. Obama in the wake of the storm.

“The storm-of-the-century brings out the best in Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New Yorkers say. But that love fest between New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie and President Barack Obama seems to have moved voters especially,” Mr. Carroll explained in a statement. “While all four leaders get very high marks – it seems a hug or two never hurts.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 11/06/12 2:08pm

ballot brouhaha

A Broad Channel voting site. (Photo: @JessicaProud)

Bloomberg Says BOE Has Voters Asking, ‘What’s This, a Third-World Country?’

As New Yorkers crowd into long lines, waiting for the right to vote at polling sites that may or may not have functional machines to tally the votes, Mayor Michael Bloomberg held another press conference to update the city on its recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. While addressing the storm, Mr. Bloomberg, who has criticized the local Board of Elections in the past, did not hold back in his frustration with the issues at the polls today.

“People all around the world would like to have our freedoms and to keep them and extend them, we have to exercise them. I know many people, including myself, are encountering lines at the polls. Be patient, it’s worth the wait,” he said. “From the reports that we’ve gotten, the Board of Elections has run into problems, including late delivery of machines to some sites and late openings. Also, this morning, we learned the Board failed to secure enough fuel for generators at least one poll site; we became aware of it and the Department of Education did deliver fuel to that polling site….If these were the only problems the Board of Elections encountered today, we should consider ourselves very lucky. But, unfortunately, based on its history, that is not likely to be the case.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 11/06/12 10:39am

rock the vote

(Photo: Getty)

Missing Machines, Misinformation and Long Lines: Election Day Off to a Rocky Start in NYC

“We have some other type of crisis here, partially organized by Hurricane Sandy, partially organized by the Board of Elections,” Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny told Politicker this morning, ticking off poll sites that did not receive machines until 8:04 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. respectively, over an hour after they were scheduled to open. “My question is, if they knew, if the Board of Elections knew yesterday this was the poll site that would be assigned today, were they sleeping this morning? It disenfranchises many people.”

We asked if there might be a possibility of a re-do election.

“That is a possibility, I think,” he answered, noting all of the Hurricane Sandy-induced chaos was in the Democratic parts of his district. “I have two parts of the district. Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, which is conservative, and Coney Island and Sea Gate, which is much more liberal, and I’m a Democrat….This is all becoming totally ridiculous. This is not about me, of course. This is about 40,000 voters losing the right to vote.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 10/25/12 4:21pm

Buckeye Battle

(Photo: Getty)

Romney Campaign Issues Memo Disputing Obama’s Ohio Poll Lead

For presidential contests, Ohio is important. Every politico knows that.

This year’s race between President Barack Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney is proving to be no exception. Just a couple days ago, The New York Times’s widely respected number-cruncher Nate Silver released an analysis giving Ohio a 50-50 chance of deciding the next occupant of the White House. Read More

By Colin Campbell 9/26/12 1:28pm

Pay No Mind

(Photo: Getty)

Obama Campaign Trying to Distract Staff From Awesome Poll Numbers

President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign is currently sitting pretty, at least as far as the polls go. Survey after survey of key swing states, including the two crucial contests in Ohio and Florida, continue to show the incumbent pulling slowly but surely ahead of his Republican rival Mitt Romney. So much so, that Mr. Obama’s campaign is apparently urging its staff to avoid overconfidence.

Asked about the current numbers during a gaggle with reporters on board Air Force One, the president’s campaign press secretary, Jen Psaki, dismissed the polls and vowed to keep focus, with a “series of sports metaphors that run the gamut from horse racing to putt putt,” according to a press pool report. Read More