Gillibrand Trails Rudy, Thompson
By Reid Wilson
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) would lose an election to ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), according to 2 new polls. But with Giuliani unlikely to make a bid, Gillibrand's fiercest competition may come from a Dem primary.
A Quinnipiac Univ. poll, conducted 12/7-13, surveyed 1,692 RVs for a margin of error of +/- 2.4%. A subsample of 719 Dems has a margin of error of +/- 3.7%. Gillibrand, Giuliani and NYC Comptroller William Thompson (D) were tested.
Dem Primary Matchup
Thompson 41
Gillibrand 28
General Election Matchups
Giuliani 50
Gillibrand 40Giuliani 52
Thompson 36
Meanwhile, a Siena Research Institute poll, conducted 12/6-9 among 665 RVs had a margin of error of +/- 3.8%. Gillibrand, Giuliani, Thompson, ex-Gov. George Pataki, NY-NJ Port Authority Commis. Bruce Blakeman (R) and ex-Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) were tested.
Dem Primary Matchup
Gillibrand 32
Thompson 23
Ford 7
General Election Matchups
Giuliani 49 (no change from last, 11/16)
Gillibrand 43 (-1)
Gillibrand 46 (+1)
Pataki 43 (-1)Gillibrand 52
Blakeman 22
Giuliani 56
Thompson 34Pataki 49
Thompson 36Thompson 40
Blakeman 23
Thompson, who narrowly lost the NYC mayor's race last month, is unknown by 58% of NYers, while Gillibrand still has to make an impression on 47% of her state. Meanwhile, both Giuliani and Pataki have favorable ratings over 50%, according to the Siena poll.
Giuliani and Pataki remain unlikely candidates, we're told. Still, Gillibrand has a ways to go before she has introduced herself to the whole state, thereby innoculating herself from what could be a difficult bid for the remainder of Sec/State Hillary Clinton's term.