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Cuomo Blows Away Potential GOP Challengers Astorino, Trump In New Poll

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Gov. Andrew Cuomo is “sitting pretty” with a 50-point advantage in matchups against potential Republican challengers Rob Astorino and Donald Trump, according to a Siena Research Institute poll released this week.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino (left) is considering a run for governor against incumbent Andrew Cuomo (right).

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino (left) is considering a run for governor against incumbent Andrew Cuomo (right).

Photo Credit: File photos

Cuomo’s job performance rating bounced back from its lowest point in November, at 44 percent, to its highest in nearly a year at 54 percent. He has a 66-28 favorability rating, and 57 percent of respondents said they would re-elect him in the fall, up from 51 percent. Those who said they would prefer someone else also dropped from 41 to 33 percent.

Astorino, who is expected to make a decision soon on whether or not he will run for governor, has a 14-10 favorability rating. He was elected in November to a second term as Westchester County Executive. Trump’s favorability rating is 38-57.  

“Looking toward November, Cuomo currently crushes both Astorino, who’s unknown to three-quarters of voters, and Trump, who is viewed unfavorably by 57 percent of voters. Neither Trump nor Astorino garners the support of a majority of Republicans, and both trail among independents by more than 40 points,” Steven Greenberg, a Siena College pollster, said.

Not only is Astorino playing catch up in name recognition, but campaign funds. He has about $1 million on hand after raising a little more than $200,000 at a fundraiser last week at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown. He is headlining a fundraiser for the state Republican committee in Albany this week, his chief spokesman William O’Reilly said. 

Astorino has said people are taking notice of Westchester because he has brought spending under control and kept the county property tax levy flat. In a matchup with Cuomo, Astorino trails 67-19. This is down from the 63-24 split in favor of Cuomo from a November poll.

The Siena Research Institute surveyed 808 registered voters in New York between Jan. 12 and Jan. 16 by telephone. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, meaning that any of the results could vary 3.4 percentage points.

Many of Cuomo’s proposals from the 2014 State of the State address have strong support, including increasing penalties on young drivers who text while driving, revoking drivers’ licenses for three DWI convictions, instituting universal Pre-K, and approving a $2 billion education technology bond act.

Read the full Siena Research Institute poll here.

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