March 12, 2008 - Bloomberg Would Make A Good Governor, New York City Voters Tell Quinnipiac University Poll; Mayor's Approval Matches All-Time High Word format New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg would make a good Governor, New York City voters say 73 - 22 percent, and voters say 57 - 34 percent that he should stay in politics rather than return to private life when his term as Mayor is up in two years, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Mayor Bloomberg gets a 75 - 17 percent approval, matching his all-time high score, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Bloomberg's approval has dropped below 70 percent - to 69 percent - just once in more than two years. In this latest survey, white voters approve 81 - 13 percent, while black voters approve 69 - 22 percent and Hispanic voters approve 72 - 22 percent. Bloomberg was serious about running for President, 56 percent of New York City voters say, while 33 percent say he was "pulling everyone's leg." By a 74 - 22 percent margin, voters finally believe the Mayor's claim that he is not running for President. Voters say 64 - 27 percent that the next President should appoint Bloomberg to a position in the administration. If he were to run for Vice President, 45 percent of voters would like him to run with the Democratic candidate while 31 percent say he should run with Republican candidate John McCain. Even 27 percent of Democrats prefer Bloomberg teamed with McCain. "So, what's next for Bloomberg? Two-thirds of us would like him to get a federal appointment. Three quarters of us say he would make a good governor. Memo to Mayor Mike: The road to the White House has run through Albany, never through City Hall," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "No, Mayor Mike wasn't pulling our leg; most New Yorkers think he was really serious about the presidential run," Carroll added. "Play golf? Give away money? Whatever he might be thinking of doing January 1, 2010, we like Mayor Mike a lot and more than half of us don't want him to leave public life when he leaves City Hall." If Bloomberg endorses a candidate for President, 79 percent of New York City voters, including 82 percent of Republicans, say it won't make a difference in how they vote. About half of New York City voters, 52 percent, would rather see him run for Governor, while 13 percent would rather see him run for President and 31 percent say he should do neither. "Vice-president? Dunno, say one of four New Yorkers. Underscoring his polyglot political position, about a third would like the Mayor to run with Sen. John McCain; not quite half with the Democrat, whoever that is." From March 4 - 10, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,427 New York City registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research. For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml, or call (203) 582-5201. 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as Mayor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 75% 75% 76% 77% 81% 69% 72% Disapprove 17 16 16 17 13 22 22 DK/NA 8 8 7 6 6 9 6 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 76% 74% 80% 75% 69% 77% 74% Disapprove 18 19 13 17 19 17 17 DK/NA 6 8 7 8 12 6 9 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as Mayor? * also 75% on 1/16/07 & 11/17/2005 Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 12 Jan 9 Nov 19 Aug 29 Jul 25 Mar 12 Jul 2 2008 2008 2007 2007 2007 2008* 2003 Approve 75 73 71 70 73 75 31 Disapprove 17 20 21 21 19 17 60 DK/NA 8 7 8 10 8 8 8 11. Mayor Bloomberg has denied all the talk that he will run for President. Do you believe that this ends it or do you think there is still a possibility that he will run for President this year? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Still possible 22% 19% 21% 24% 16% 26% 28% Ends it 74 76 75 72 80 71 67 DK/NA 4 6 3 4 4 3 4 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Still possible 27% 18% 20% 24% 22% 20% 23% Ends it 66 76 78 73 76 76 73 DK/NA 7 6 2 3 2 3 5 12. If Mayor Bloomberg endorses a candidate for president, would that make you more likely to vote for that candidate, less likely to vote for that candidate, or wouldn't it make a difference? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp More likely 9% 9% 9% 11% 9% 7% 12% Less likely 10 6 10 10 8 13 11 Doesn't make diff 79 82 79 77 81 75 74 DK/NA 3 2 3 2 2 4 2 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom More likely 10% 5% 12% 10% 9% 12% 7% Less likely 18 10 4 8 13 9 10 Doesn't make diff 69 82 80 80 76 78 80 DK/NA 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 13. Do you think that Mayor Bloomberg was seriously considering running for President or was he just pulling everyone's leg? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Was serious 56% 61% 55% 56% 63% 43% 56% Pulling our leg 33 31 34 33 25 47 39 DK/NA 11 8 11 11 12 11 5 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Was serious 45% 51% 70% 56% 58% 58% 55% Pulling our leg 42 39 20 33 37 32 34 DK/NA 13 11 10 12 5 10 11 14. What do you think Mayor Bloomberg should do next - return to private life or stay in politics? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Private life 34% 35% 34% 31% 30% 40% 36% Stay in politics 57 57 58 60 58 56 60 DK/NA 9 8 7 8 12 4 4 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Private life 36% 42% 25% 31% 38% 38% 31% Stay in politics 58 51 63 60 56 55 60 DK/NA 6 7 12 10 6 7 9 15. How about the possibility that Mayor Bloomberg might run for Vice President. If he runs for Vice President, should it be with Republican John McCain or the Democratic candidate? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp McCain 31% 51% 27% 30% 34% 26% 32% Democrat 45 21 54 42 39 55 47 DK/NA 24 28 19 28 27 19 20 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom McCain 32% 31% 22% 35% 40% 30% 31% Democrat 43 40 56 42 42 44 46 DK/NA 24 29 22 22 18 25 23 16. Would you like the next President to appoint Mayor Bloomberg to serve in their administration? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Yes 64% 69% 63% 67% 70% 55% 59% No 27 21 28 28 23 33 30 DK/NA 9 10 9 6 8 11 10 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Yes 65% 58% 72% 62% 63% 66% 62% No 26 33 21 26 29 27 27 DK/NA 9 9 8 11 7 7 11 17. Do you think Mayor Bloomberg would make a good President or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Yes 45% 46% 45% 50% 51% 40% 40% No 43 41 43 39 38 46 47 DK/NA 12 12 12 11 11 14 13 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Yes 37% 41% 53% 49% 38% 50% 42% No 47 48 36 38 51 42 43 DK/NA 15 11 10 13 11 8 15 TREND: Do you think Mayor Bloomberg would make a good President or not? Mar 12 Jan 9 2008 2008 Yes 45 52 No 43 39 DK/NA 12 9 18. Do you think Mayor Bloomberg would make a good Governor or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Yes 73% 70% 75% 78% 77% 68% 69% No 22 23 21 19 18 25 27 DK/NA 5 7 4 3 5 7 4 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Yes 71% 66% 82% 76% 71% 76% 71% No 24 28 14 20 25 22 22 DK/NA 5 6 5 4 4 3 7 TREND: Do you think Mayor Bloomberg would make a good Governor or not? Mar 12 Jan 9 2008 2008 Yes 73 70 No 22 26 DK/NA 5 4 19. Would you rather see Michael Bloomberg run for President or Governor, or neither? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp President 13% 12% 12% 17% 13% 8% 15% Governor 52 57 53 51 55 50 48 Neither 31 27 31 28 27 36 35 DK/NA 5 3 4 4 5 5 2 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom President 10% 11% 17% 12% 17% 17% 10% Governor 52 48 55 53 50 53 50 Neither 33 36 25 28 31 28 33 DK/NA 4 5 3 6 2 2 6 TREND: Would you rather see Michael Bloomberg run for President or Governor, or neither? Mar 12 Jan 9 2008 2008 President 13 16 Governor 52 47 Neither 31 32 DK/NA 5 5