New York City voters approve 65 to 29 percent of the job Gov. Andrew Cuomo is doing, topping Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 50 to 42 percent job approval rating, according to the most recent Quinnipiac University poll.
But on the critical issue of homelessness, 33 percent say Mayor de Blasio is doing a better job, while 28 percent say Cuomo is doing better, with 39 percent undecided, the independent Quinnipiac University Poll finds.
As with other issues in New York City there is a racial division: Blacks back de Blasio over Cuomo on handling homelessness 50 to 20 percent. Hispanic voters back de Blasio 36 to 26 percent. White voters back Cuomo 37 to 25 percent.
In overall job approval, de Blasio gets a 63 to 28 percent nod from Democrats, with disapproval ratings of 75 to 18 percent from Republicans and 59 to 37 percent from independent voters. There are gender and racial gaps: Men disapprove 51 to 43 percent while women approve 56 to 35 percent. Approval is 77 to 11 percent among black voters and 66 to 29 percent among Hispanic voters, while white voters disapprove 67 to 27 percent.
Cuomo wins approval ratings of 72 to 22 percent from Democrats and 61 to 32 percent from independent voters, with Republicans divided 47 to 49 percent. The gender and racial gaps are smaller: Men approve 61 to 33 percent and women approve 69 to 25 percent. Approval is 74 to 21 percent among black voters, 72 to 18 percent among Hispanic voters and 58 to 37 percent among white voters.
“Despite the home court advantage, Gov. Andrew Cuomo outpoints Mayor Bill de Blasio among city voters,” said Quinnipiac University Poll Assistant Director Maurice Carroll.
“But these same New York City voters think de Blasio does better than Cuomo managing the homelessness problem, the issue on which the two leaders have been sparring,” Carroll added.
“Who do city voters identify with on political philosophy? De Blasio by a nose.”
De Blasio most closely represents their political views, 30 percent of New York City voters, including 40 percent of Democrats, say. Cuomo is closer to their views, say 25 percent of city voters, including 27 percent of Democrats. Neither leader represents their views, 38 percent of voters, including 62 percent of Republicans and 53 percent of independent voters, say.
De Blasio’s involvement in national affairs is distracting him from his job as mayor, 45 percent of New York City voters say, while 42 percent say it is not distracting him.
On the issue of minimum wage, New York City voters support 75 to 23 percent raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by the end of 2018. Support is 88 to 10 percent among Democrats and 63 to 34 percent among independent voters, with Republicans opposed 59 to 40 percent.
Support in the boroughs ranges from 66 to 32 percent in Staten Island to 81 to 18 percent in The Bronx.
“The city’s liberal leanings produce heavy support for upping the minimum wage to $15 an hour,” Carroll said. “There’s no surprise in the political division: Democrats give a resounding yes; Republicans a medium no.”
From January 11 through 17, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,143 New York City voters, with a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.
