Poll: New York voters embarrassed by Anthony Weiner, Eliot Spitzer

ALBANY -- Most New Yorkers watching Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer in political races dominated by sex scandals want to forget about them, according to a poll released Monday.

The Siena College poll found that 68 percent of state voters and 62 percent of New York City voters are embarrassed by the national attention to the men's candidacies.

Sixteen percent of voters statewide say the attention is "no big deal." Just 8 percent find it entertaining.

Weiner is running for mayor and is dogged by a sexting scandal that drove him from Congress. Spitzer seeks a comeback as city comptroller. He resigned as governor in 2008 amid a prostitution scandal.

The survey found that Weiner set a record for a Siena poll, but it's nothing to tweet home about.

Eighty percent of state voters gave him an unfavorable mark, including three-quarters of New York City voters, according to the poll. That 80 percent is the highest unfavorable rating the Siena College poll has registered. It's higher now than when Spitzer resigned as governor and higher than the worst marks for his successor, David Paterson, who nose-dived in the polls while issuing layoffs and cutting programs during a fiscal crisis.

Spitzer isn't doing much better. He is viewed unfavorably by 59 percent of registered voters statewide, including most New York City Democrats. Spitzer hit a 79 percent unfavorable rating shortly after he resigned while he was embroiled in the prostitution scandal.

The telephone poll questioned 814 registered voters in the state from Aug. 4-7. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

Get more Politics & Elections »

new york city politics, eliot spitzer, anthony weiner, new york city, politics & elections

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•