New Yorker voters not yet ready to back Cuomo’s presidential run, according to Quinnipiac poll

Plagued by low grades for his handling of mass transit, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gets a 46-to-38 percent overall job approval rating from New York State voters, with a negative 37-to-48 percent approval rating among upstate voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.

Today’s approval is down from a 52-to-31 percent job approval in a March 29 survey by the independent Quinnipiac University Poll. It is Gov. Cuomo’s lowest approval rating since a 43-to-43 percent split, his all-time lowest score, September 17, 2015.

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo is hurting in Albany and New Yorkers say he should fuhgeddabout Washington,” said Maurice Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, referring to speculation the governor is considering a presidential run in 2020.

When asked if “Andrew Cuomo would make a good president or not?” 56 percent of all state voters said “no,” 34 percent said “yes,” and 10 percent did not know.

“This might change — it almost certainly will — when the 2020 presidential year comes along. But for now his New York neighbors don’t think Gov. Cuomo would be a good president and they don’t want him to try for the job.

When asked if “Cuomo should run for president or not?” 38 percent of voters said “yes” and 55 percent said “no.”’

“He’s got a couple of years — and more Trumpian tweets — to change their minds.”

Only 50 percent of Democrats say Cuomo should run, while 74 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of independent voters say he should not run.

Fifty-six percent of voters say Cuomo would not make a good president, and 34 percent say he would make a good president.

Looking at Cuomo’s personal qualities, voters say:

• 65-to-29 percent that he has strong leadership qualities;
• 46-to-40 percent that he is honest and trustworthy;
• 52-to-41 percent that he cares about their needs and problems.

When asked “If Governor Cuomo ran for president in 2020, do you think that would be good for New York State or bad for New York State?” 51 percent of voters said it would be good for New York while 33 percent said it would be bad.

“Score one for New Yorkers’ political practicality – if the governor runs for president, 51 percent think it would be good for the state,” Carroll said.

From July 5 to July 10, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,137 New York voters via landlines and cell phones. The results have a margin of error of 3.9 percentage points.