Steven Greenberg

Two thirds of New York voters think Eliot Spitzer needs to be more forthright his involvement in the plan to use the state police to create records on Joe Bruno’s use of state aircraft, according to a poll being released today by Siena College.

By a margin of 70-19 percent, voters want Spitzer to testify publicly, according to the poll.

Spitzer’s favorability rating dropped from 59-28 in July to 56-26 now. 44 percent say he’s doing an excellent or good job, but 49 percent say he’s doing a fair or poor job.

Pollster Steven Greenberg had this interesting piece of analysis. “Unlike most statewide Democrats, Spitzer appears to be strongest Upstate and not among the traditional Democratic base of  New York City voters.”

And in a fun hypothetical scenario in which Andrew Cuomo challenges Spitzer in a gubernatorial primary, Spitzer beats Cuomo 47 to 24.

After an onslaught of ads attacking his health care spending plan, Eliot Spitzer's favorability rating has dropped from 74 percent last month to 62 this month, according to a new Siena poll.

Siena pollster Steven Greenberg also had this to say about what might happen to those numbers if the governor's first budget isn't delivered on time:

"Voters believe an on-time budget is important but not nearly as important as a good budget," Greenberg said. "And if the deadline is missed and there's no budget by the weekend, voters spread the blame widely and don't single out the Governor or either house of the Legislature."

-- Azi Paybarah

The public sided with Eliot Spitzer over the legislature in the comptroller controversy, according to a Siena poll out today.

Here's the snappy analysis:

"Spitzer's popularity continues to steamroll along with the public, with nearly three-quarters of New York voters - including 61 percent of Republicans - having a favorable view of the Governor," said Steven Greenberg, Siena New York Poll spokesman. "And if Spitzer were to pull an Ed Koch and ask 'how am I doing?' he would like what he heard."

Poll results are here.

-- Azi Paybarah

Today's Siena poll has Alan Hevesi and Chris Callaghan in a statistical dead heat.

Hevesi's 39 to 35% lead is within the 4% margin of error for the poll, for which 500 likely voters were surveyed. This is a little different from the latest NY1/Newsday poll of 1,502 registered voters, "of whom 952 were likely voters," that had a 2% margin of error and had Hevesi up by 10%.

"Although nearly two-thirds of voters believe that aside from the scandal Hevesi has done a good job as Comptroller and 59 percent say the job he's done is more important than the scandal in deciding how they vote, Hevesi's support is eroding and doing so rapidly," Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said

Last month, Siena showed Hevesi leading Callaghan 52-25%.

Today's Siena poll also showed that basically, no other race is even close. Eliot Spitzer leads by 45, Hillary Clinton leads by 37, and Andrew Cuomo leads by 21.

-- Azi Paybarah

Today's Siena poll shows 59 percent of likely Republican voters have a favorable view of Democrat Eliot Spitzer.

Andrew Cuomo and Jeanine Pirro are tied "47-47 percent in her downstate suburban base," pollster Steven Greenberg said.

Hillary Clinton is crushing John Spencer 62-33 percent.

And State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who leads his challenger by 56-23 percent, is "unknown to nearly half of New York's likely voters..."

-- Azi Paybarah