Suozzi struggling to gain on Spitzer

[cal04]

After three months of campaigning and a statewide television blitz, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi trails Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in the New York governor's race by a whopping 72 to 11 percent, according to a new poll released yesterday.

The Siena Research Institute's survey of 411 Democratic primary voters found Suozzi has gained just three points against the popular Spitzer for his party's nomination since late December -- before he had declared his interest in the race. A Siena poll then showed Suozzi losing 72 to 8 percent.

The Feb. 25 launch of Suozzi's campaign, a series of trips across the state and a two-and-a-half-week, $2 million television ad buy last month have failed to eat into the attorney general's advantage. "Right now it seems to me that his only hope is somehow a Spitzer blow-up," said Douglas Muzzio, a professor of public affairs at Baruch College.

A survey of 413 Republican voters by Siena reflected trouble in the GOP, with 18 percent backing John Faso, 15 percent supporting William Weld and 62 percent undecided. The Democratic poll, conducted between March 29 and April 3, revealed Suozzi making modest headway in getting his name out to voters, with 59 percent saying they did not know him, down from 79 percent in December. Spitzer, who touts his record righting corporate corruption, won approval from 76 percent of those surveyed. Only 9 percent rated him poorly.

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http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lisuoz0418,0,918868.story?coll=ny-linews-headlines

[wiley]

1. A 3 point increase for Suozzi?

Must be the Republicans bankrolling his campaign to try to get at Spitzer. I can't help but think that Suozzi is just doing this to get Spitzer 100% name recognition and make it seem like someone is challenging Spitzer. Most New Yorkers can't name who is running against Spitzer, or Clinton for that matter.