Poll: Flu response one bright sport for Paterson's ratings

ALBANY - While his overall job performance continues to tank, Gov. David A. Paterson is receiving good grades for his handling of the swine flu outbreak, according to a poll released Monday.

Forty-six percent of voters told the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion that they approved of Paterson's handling of the health crisis. Eighteen percent disapproved and 36 percent were unsure.

The poll of 1,029 voters was conducted last Tuesday and Wednesday, three days after Paterson publicly ordered the state Health Department to take steps to combat swine flu. He began holding daily briefings on the outbreak that Tuesday.

Paterson's addressing the health crisis is the only bright spot among otherwise dismal poll results. Marist found that only 19 percent of voters said the governor was doing an excellent or good job while 40 percent rated him as poor. Thirty-seven percent rated Paterson as fair and 4 percent were unsure.
Dissatisfaction with Paterson has reached the point where 51 percent said they would prefer to have Eliot Spitzer back in the Executive Mansion even after the scandal surrounding his use of high-priced prostitutes. Among Democrats, 50 percent say "resurrect Spitzer" while only 22 back Paterson, said pollster Lee Miringoff.

He added that Paterson received surprisingly low marks for leadership, tackling the economic crisis and understanding people's needs.

If a hypothetical Democratic gubernatorial primary were held today instead of next September, Paterson would lose to state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, 21 percent to 70 percent.

In the general election, Paterson would be defeated by Republican Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, 32 percent to 56 percent. Paterson would tie former Rep. Rick Lazio (R-Brightwaters). Cuomo would defeat both Republicans.

Paterson's pick to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate, Kirsten Gillibrand of Hudson, is trailing former Republican Gov. George Pataki in a hypothetical matchup, 38 percent to 46 percent. She had led him by four percentage points in a March poll.

Voters continue to back Gillibrand over U.S. Peter King (R-Seaford) but her led has shrunk to 42 percent compared with his 31 percent. LINK...