October 20, 2010
10/20: President Bloomberg? New York Voters Say, “Fuhgeddaboudit!”
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg continues to adamantly deny rumors that he will run for president in 2012. According to the latest Marist Poll of New York City, Bloomberg’s decision is probably a good one as far as New York City voters are concerned. Nearly two-thirds of the New York City electorate — 64% — do not want Bloomberg to run in the next presidential election while 26% say he should enter the contest. 10% are unsure.
Michael Bloomberg
Click Here for Complete October 20, 2010 NYC Poll Release and Tables
When Marist last asked this question in its August survey, 69% wanted Bloomberg to stay out of the 2012 presidential contest, 21% reported Bloomberg should be a candidate, and 10% were unsure.
“If Michael Bloomberg starts thinking presidential, there will be no great send-off from New York City voters,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.
Table: 2012 Bloomberg Presidential Candidacy
Half Approve of Bloomberg’s Job Performance
Mayor Bloomberg is almost one year into his third term as mayor. So, how do voters say he is doing in office? Half — 50% — think he is doing well. Included here are 14% who say the mayor is doing an excellent job and 36% who report he is doing a good one. 30% rate Bloomberg’s performance as fair, and 15% say he is performing poorly. Five percent are unsure.
When Marist last asked about Bloomberg’s job performance in September, 49% approved of the job he was doing, 31% gave him a fair grade, and 18% thought Bloomberg was missing the mark. Two percent were unsure.
There has been a jump among Republican voters in the city. 52% of the city’s GOP give Bloomberg a thumbs-up while 36% did the same last month. Among Democratic voters, 55% say he is now doing either an excellent or good job in office, the same proportion as in Marist’s September survey. Looking at the city’s non-enrolled voters, 37% approve of the mayor’s job performance. In Marist’s previous survey, 46% reported the same.
Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating
Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating Over Time
Click on the graph to enlarge the image.
Mayor Spitzer? A No-go Among New York City Voters
Mayor Bloomberg has also said he will not seek a fourth term as mayor of New York City. So, who should run in 2013? Voters in the Big Apple know who they don’t want to seek the office. More than six in ten voters — 62% — do not want former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer to run for mayor in 2013 while 24% want him to throw his hat into the ring. 14% are unsure.
When Marist last asked this question in August, similar proportions held these views. 64% did not want a Spitzer run, 27% did, and 9% were unsure.
Table: Spitzer/NYC Mayoralty Bid
Open Field for Democrats in 2013
Looking ahead to the 2013 Democratic primary for mayor, Congressman Anthony Weiner receives the support of 21% of registered Democrats citywide. Former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson nets 16% followed by current Comptroller John Liu with 10%. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn takes 9% of Democrats, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio garners 8%, and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer receives 4% of the Democratic vote in New York City. A notable — 32% — are undecided.
Table: 2013 Democratic Primary for Mayor
Previous survey results for the 2013 Democratic Primary for Mayor
Big Apple in Rotten Direction, Says Plurality
When it comes to the direction of New York City, 47% of voters think the city is moving in the wrong direction while 40% say it is on the right path. 13% are unsure. Last month, voters divided. At that time, 46% thought the city was traveling along the right road while 44% reported it needed a new compass. 10%, at the time, were unsure.
Table: NYC Direction
Table: NYC Direction Over Time
Click on the graph to enlarge the image.