Quinnipiac University Polling Institute

When voters in a new Quinnipiac poll out today were asked who they’d like to elect as governor in 2010, Michael Bloomberg came out on top, slightly edging out Rudy Giuliani.

The survey gave respondents four choices: Bloomberg, Giuliani, David Paterson and Andrew Cuomo.

Paterson, who enjoys a 67-20 approval rating according to this poll, came in third.

Here are the numbers:  read more »

A poll that is both topical and completely irrelevant shows Michael Bloomberg faring poorly in hypothetical three-way match-ups in key presidential states.

Quinnipiac's press release is after the jump.  read more »

A national poll from Quinnipiac University today showed Hillary Clinton leading Rudy Giuliani in a theoretical head-to-head match-up by 45 to 44 percent. Al Gore, who isn't a candidate yet, leads Giuliani 45 to 43 percent, and Barack Obama ties Giuliani at 42 percent.

Other numbers from the poll:

Clinton leads John McCain 44 to 42 percent, and leads Fred Thompson 46 to 39 percent.

Here is a quick look at some polls released today:

Hillary Clinton increased her lead over Barack Obama and theoretical candidate Al Gore in New York, according to the Siena Research Institute.

Al Gore is the strongest Democratic candidate against Rudy Giuliani in Pennsylvania, according to the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

And, somewhat randomly, Michael Bloomberg got support 13 percent of the vote from likely voters in Kentucky, according to Rasmussen Reports.

In case you were wondering who to invite this weekend…

Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani are the presidential candidates most Americans would want to have burger with on Memorial Day weekend, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.

OK, last post of the day on that congestion pricing poll...

Quinnipiac pollster Mickey Carroll defended his findings showing New York City voters split over congestion pricing, with Manhattan heavily in favor and the outer boroughs heavily against.

Critics said he ensured a negative result by failing to explain the benefits of congestion pricing and simply asking people if they would pay for something that is currently free.

“What they want you to do is basically a push poll,” Carroll just told me. Congestion pricing is “not something they don’t know anything about. It’s at least in public discussion.”

“By asking people their opinion, you get their opinion,” he said.

But Carroll said his critics weren’t wrong to say more information about congestion pricing should have been included.

“There’s nothing the matter with push polls, as long as it's honest information,” he said. “

So where is the line between providing in-depth, honest information, and leading people to a result you want?

“I don’t know. That’s a good question.”  read more »

Although congestion is seen as a major problem in the city, the proposed congestion pricing plan isn’t winning major support outside Manhattan, according to a Quinnipiac poll released today.

Overall, New York City voters are split on the issue, 45 to 46 percent.

Manhattan residents support the plan by a margin of 62 to 29 percent. But in the outer boroughs, according to the poll, the plan is heavily opposed.

67 - 26 percent in The Bronx;
63 - 29 percent in Brooklyn;
61 - 32 percent in Queens;
69 - 26 percent in Staten Island.

UPDATE: Lobbyist Walter McCaffrey of "Keep New York Congestion Tax Free" responds to the poll, , saying, "While it's very interesting to know that Park Avenue has managed to convince Fifth Avenue to support congestion pricing, the fact remains that the people of Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx overwhelming believe it is an unfair tax to those who live outside Manhattan."

"Obama Runs Best Against GOP Front-Runner Giuliani" is the headline for the press release accompanying a new Quinnipiac poll, countering the notion that Hillary Clinton would fare best in the match-up that almost happened when she ran for Senate in 2000.

The survey was taken by 1,166 voters, including 469 Republicans and 499 Democrats.

One of the questions they were all asked of was “If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote?”

Here are the results from that head to head match-up:

Giuliani gets 92 percent of the Republican vote; Hillary gets 83 percent of the Democratic vote. But Giuliani beats Hillary 47 to 37 among Independents, and 46 to 44 percent among women.

Mark Penn will have an explanation, I'm sure.

But I just thought that was kind of interesting.

"Bloomberg doesn't even get a majority of Republicans. And Democrats? Fuhgeddaboutit," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

But, as Carroll noted in an earlier Q poll about Bloomberg's chances in another race:

"If Bloomberg does enter the race and starts spending big bucks, we can expect things to get interesting."