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New Yorkers To Cuomo: Don't Resign, But Don't Run Again, Quinnipiac University NY State Poll Finds; Cuomo Loses Pandemic Hero Status With Mediocre Job Approval

As Governor Andrew Cuomo faces allegations of both sexual harassment and undercounting nursing home deaths during the pandemic, a majority of New York voters say 55 - 40 percent that Cuomo should not resign as governor in a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University poll of New York state registered voters conducted March 2nd - 3rd. Democrats say 74 - 21 percent he should not resign, while Republicans say 70 - 23 percent and independents say 52 - 44 percent he should resign.

However, voters also say by a large margin (59 - 36 percent) that they would not like to see Andrew Cuomo run for reelection in 2022.

Voters give Governor Cuomo a split 45 - 46 percent job approval rating, with Democrats approving 65 - 27 percent, Republicans disapproving 82 - 13 percent, and independents disapproving 57 - 33 percent.

Today's numbers mark a nearly 30-point drop in Cuomo's job approval rating compared to about a year ago. At the height of the pandemic in New York, in May of 2020, voters approved 72 - 24 percent of the job Cuomo was doing, which was close to an all-time high. Before the pandemic, in March of 2019, New York voters approved of the job he was doing 50 - 41 percent.

On his handling of the response to the coronavirus, voters approve 56 - 41 percent, down from 81 - 17 percent in May of 2020.

On whether Governor Cuomo has lost his ability to be an effective leader, 53 percent of New York voters say "no" and 43 percent say "yes."

"From popular to precarious, Governor Andrew Cuomo's political standing is on shaky ground. New Yorkers are not clamoring to have him step down at this stage, but they are signaling a willingness to show him to the exit door once his term is done," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Mary Snow.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS

Voters say 59 - 27 percent that they are not satisfied with Governor Cuomo's explanation and apology regarding the sexual harassment allegations made against him.

Just under half of voters (48 percent) say they do not think Governor Cuomo is being truthful about the sexual harassment allegations being made against him, while 30 percent say they think he is being truthful with 22 percent not offering an opinion.

Almost 8 in 10 New York voters say the sexual harassment allegations against Governor Cuomo by two former aides are either very serious (43 percent) or somewhat serious (36 percent). Another 10 percent say they view the allegations as not so serious, 5 percent view them as not serious at all, with 6 percent not offering an opinion.

More than 8 in 10 voters (86 - 9 percent) support the independent investigation being overseen by the New York State Attorney General regarding the sexual harassment allegations against Governor Cuomo.

"Governor Cuomo's apology and explanation about the sexual harassment allegations aren't cutting it with New Yorkers. A clear majority indicate Cuomo's response falls short and only 3 in 10 voters are convinced at this point that he's being truthful," added Snow.

Forty-nine percent of voters say they do not think Governor Cuomo treats women with the same amount of respect as he treats men, 25 percent say he does, and 26 percent did not offer an opinion.

NURSING HOME DEATHS

Three-quarters of voters (75 percent) believe Governor Cuomo did something wrong when it comes to his handling of the way nursing home deaths during the coronavirus pandemic were reported; a slim majority (51 percent) say they believe he did something unethical but not illegal, 24 percent say they think he did something illegal, and 16 percent say they think he did nothing wrong.

EMERGENCY POWERS

A slim majority of voters say 51 - 46 percent that the New York state legislature should remove the emergency powers that were granted to Governor Cuomo last year to manage the coronavirus pandemic.

CUOMO TRAITS

Voters give Cuomo a mixed favorability rating, with 44 percent saying they have a favorable opinion of him, while 48 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him, which is close to his lowest favorability rating of 42 - 45 percent in March of 2019.

Voters say 64 - 33 percent that Cuomo has strong leadership qualities, compared to 67 - 29 percent who said that in May of 2018.

Only 37 percent of voters say that Cuomo is honest and trustworthy, while 55 percent say he is not honest and trustworthy, the lowest honesty number he has received on this question dating back to July of 2007. The previous low was February of 2018 when 43 percent of voters said he was honest and trustworthy and 42 percent said he was not.

Voters say 54 - 43 percent that Cuomo cares about the needs and problems of people like them, similar to his previous high of 54 - 39 percent in March of 2017.

NY ELECTED OFFICIALS

Voters were asked about other elected officials and how they are handling their jobs. Attorney General Letitia James gets the highest approval of any elected official in New York, with 61 percent of voters approving, 16 percent disapproving, and 23 percent not offering an opinion. Her previous approval rating in January of 2019 was 40 - 18 percent, with 42 percent not offering an opinion. Approval ratings for other New York elected officials are generally positive.

  • U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer: 52 percent say approve, 40 percent disapprove, and 8 percent not offering an opinion;
  • U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: 47 percent say approve, 28 percent disapprove, and 25 percent not offering an opinion;
  • NY Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli: 36 percent say approve, 14 percent disapprove, and 50 percent not offering an opinion;
  • NY Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins: 32 percent say approve, 19 percent disapprove, and 49 percent not offering an opinion;
  • NY State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: 26 percent say approve, 18 percent disapprove, and 56 percent not offering an opinion.

Voters also shared their opinions on whether they view other elected officials favorably or unfavorably.

  • NY Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul: 14 percent say favorable, 6 percent unfavorable, and 78 percent haven't heard enough;
  • NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio: 22 percent say favorable, 62 percent unfavorable, and 14 percent haven't heard enough;
  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: 44 percent say favorable, 38 percent unfavorable, and 18 percent haven't heard enough.

PRESIDENT BIDEN

Voters in New York approve of the way President Joe Biden is handling his job 61 - 32 percent. They also approve of the way he's handling the response to the coronavirus 66 - 28 percent.

935 self-identified registered voters in New York were surveyed from March 2nd - 3rd with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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Poll Questions