If Cuomo launches comeback for NY governor, poll suggests competitive primary with Hochul

As he mulls launching a brand new bid to attempt to regain his previous job as New York State governor, a contemporary ballot signifies that an Andrew Cuomo marketing campaign would immediately remodel an uncompetitive Democratic major right into a aggressive contest.

Based on a Siena Faculty ballot launched on Monday, Cuomo stands at 30% help amongst registered Democrats, with Gov. Kathy Hochul, his handpicked successor, at 38%.

ANDREW CUOMO CONSIDERS MAKING POLITICAL COMEBACK

The survey, carried out March 20-March 24, signifies the 2 different candidates already working for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination within the June 28 major – Rep. Tom Suozzi and New York Metropolis Public Advocate Jumaane Williams – at 10% and seven%.

With out Cuomo within the race, the ballot signifies Hochul at 52% help, holding a commanding 40-point lead, with Williams at 12% and Suozzi at 11%.

Hochul, who served as Cuomo’s lieutenant governor, in August was sworn in as New York’s first feminine governor. She succeeded the three-term Cuomo, who resigned in shame amid a number of scandals.

However Cuomo in latest weeks has been talking with supporters about launching a comeback marketing campaign for governor.

KATHY HOCHUL BECOMES NEW YORK STATE’S FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR

In February, Cuomo rolled out a brand new political advert suggesting he was the sufferer of political assaults concerning the a number of sexual misconduct allegations that helped drive him from workplace. Just a few weeks later he rolled out a second advert touting his achievements as governor. He’s additionally made a pair of public appearances at New York Metropolis church buildings, utilizing the second to criticize Hochul and lawmakers within the New York State Legislature.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks in the course of the New York State Democratic Conference in New York, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. 
(AP Picture/Seth Wenig)

However the clock’s ticking for Cuomo – he has per week and a half left to file if he needs to put his title on the Democratic major poll. Cuomo would additionally want to show within the required 15,000 petition signatures – together with a minimum of 100 signatures every from half of the state’s congressional districts – to get on the poll.

The Siena Faculty ballot is the second in latest weeks to recommend that Cuomo would path Hochul by single digits. Nevertheless it additionally incorporates some warning indicators for the previous governor. Solely a 3rd of registered Democrats surveyed wished Cuomo to run within the major, solely 32% of all registered voters had a positive opinion of him, and solely 32% thought he didn’t sexually harass a number of ladies.

HOCHUL REMAINS FRONT-RUNNER IN NEW YORK’S DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY

“Hochul has 50-point internet constructive favorability score amongst Democrats, in comparison with Cuomo’s eight-point internet constructive score. Greater than half of Democrats don’t need Cuomo to run for governor this yr and solely one-third say he ought to run within the major,” Siena Faculty pollster Steven Greenberg stated. “Regardless of all that, Cuomo can be very a lot within the recreation – if he decides to place himself within the recreation.”

This picture from Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, reveals New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul throughout a cupboard assembly on the Capitol in Albany, New York. 
(AP Picture/Mike Groll, File)

“The 2 are tied in New York Metropolis, possible house to a majority of Democratic major voters. Hochul leads by eight factors within the downstate suburbs and 25 factors upstate. Cuomo has a two-to-one lead with Black Democrats and Hochul has a comparable lead amongst white Democrats, whereas Latinos are carefully divided,” Greenberg stated. “Apparently, whereas Hochul leads amongst males by 15 factors, she solely leads with ladies by 4 factors.”

Cuomo has an alternative choice if he decides to bid for governor once more. He may skip the first and run as an unbiased in November’s common election. To do this, Cuomo would wish to assemble 45,000 signatures – with a minimum of 500 from every of half of the state’s congressional districts, by the top of Might.