7/25/2013
By Emily Ngo
Anthony Weiner’s popularity in the New York City mayoral race has tumbled since this week’s revelations of his recurring online sexting, with Christine Quinn now leading him 25 percent to 16 percent, an NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist Poll showed Thursday.
His unfavorable ratings also soared to a personal worst — 55 percent of the registered Democratic voters who were surveyed. Democrats “seemed much more reluctant to give him a third chance,” Marist Poll director Lee Miringoff said.
The swing in the numbers between Weiner, who resigned from Congress because of the scandal, and Quinn, the City Council speaker, was a “dramatic” 14 percentage points. A June 26 WSJ-NBC-Marist survey put Weiner ahead of Quinn, 25 percent to 20 percent.
Weiner’s fading support was reflected Thursday in interviews with voters.
Angela Kemp, 42, of Canarsie, said she is a former Weiner supporter and the latest revelation is responsible for her about-face. “He couldn’t be trusted,” she said. “If he can’t take care of [his] home, how can he take care of the city?”
Scott Kohanowski, 40, of Brooklyn, said he had spoken up for Weiner before this week, but since has changed his mind.
“I was willing to give him a second chance. I argued that this wasn’t an issue but then this happened,” Kohanowski said. “He said he rehabilitated, but lied.”
The new poll had former Comptroller Bill Thompson and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio closely behind Weiner, tied for third place with 14 percent each.
The survey of 1,199 New Yorkers was conducted on Wednesday via landline and cellphone. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for registered voters and 4.2 percentage points for Democrats.
If no candidate reaches 40 percent in the Sept. 10 primary, the top two meet in a runoff three weeks later.
The majority of city Democrats, 55 percent, have an unfavorable view of Weiner and 30 percent have a favorable impression of him. He had a 44 percent unfavorability rating in May when he announced his candidacy.
Still, the poll showed more Democrats believed he should continue his campaign rather than drop out, 47 percent to 43 percent.
Midwood resident Paul Morales, 70, said Weiner hasn’t lost his support. “Listen, he’s a good politician. I don’t care about his private life.”
But George Furlan, 57, of Murray Hill in Manhattan, called the former congressman deceitful and was bothered by his “sense of arrogance.”
Furlan said, “We should always forgive the first time, but shame on you for the second time.”
With Ivan Pereira
and Dan Rivoli
