(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Eliot Spitzer would become the next governor of the Empire State, according to a poll by Blum and Weprin Associates published in Newsday. 65 per cent of respondents would support the Democratic attorney general, while 15 per cent would vote for Republican and former Assembly leader John Faso.
(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Eliot Spitzer would become the next governor of the Empire State, according to a poll by Blum and Weprin Associates published in Newsday. 65 per cent of respondents would support the Democratic attorney general, while 15 per cent would vote for Republican and former Assembly leader John Faso.
Republican George Pataki has acted as New York’s governor since January 1995. He was re-elected in 1998 with 54 per cent of the vote, and in 2002 with 49 per cent, defeating Democrat Carl McCall and independent candidate Tom Golisano. In July 2005, Pataki ruled out seeking a new term in office.
Two-time candidate Golisano and former Massachusetts governor William Weld—who were mentioned as possible rivals for Spitzer—announced earlier this year that they would not seek the governorship.
On Jun. 1, Faso secured the Republican nomination. Faso criticized his prospective rival, saying, “Eliot Spitzer’s problem is that he has allied with the big-government special interests who have already placed their bets with millions and millions of dollars in his campaign.”
Nassau County executive Tom Suozzi has vowed to collect signatures from 15,000 Democratic voters in New York in order to force a primary election against Spitzer, which would take place on Sept. 12.
The gubernatorial election is scheduled for Nov. 7. Since 1943, New York has had four Republican and three Democratic heads of government.
Polling Data
Who would you vote for in the gubernatorial election?
Eliot Spitzer (D) | 65% |
John Faso (R) | 15% |
Undecided / Other | 20% |
Source: Blum and Weprin Associates / Newsday
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,463 registered New York voters, conducted from Jun. 1 to Jun. 5, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
