Anthony Weiner sees bump in polling numbers
Anthony Weiner's week-old mayoral campaign Tuesday saw a rise in polling numbers that narrowed the margin between the former congressman and Democratic front-runner Christine Quinn.
He remains in second place among Democratic contenders, with 19 percentage points to Quinn's 24, according to a Marist poll released Tuesday. Weiner has gained 4 percentage points since last month, while Quinn, the City Council speaker, lost 2.
Poll findings for other Democrats include: Public Advocate Bill de Blasio with 12 percent support, former Comptroller Bill Thompson with 11 percent and Comptroller John Liu with 8 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,001 adult New Yorkers by landline and cellphone from May 22 to 24. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
Weiner, 48, last Wednesday officially launched an attempt to capture the mayor's seat despite a sexting scandal that cost him his congressional career in 2011.
Though he saw a bump in his numbers, his favorability ratings point to "an uphill fight," Marist poll director Lee Miringoff said. The poll showed 44 percent of Democrats view Weiner positively and 44 percent view him negatively. Quinn, meanwhile, has a 60 percent favorability rating.
"His negatives remain high," Miringoff said. "It's not that he has changed people's minds about how to react to him, he's gaining commitment from those who supported him."
A candidate would need to earn 40 percent of the vote in September's Democratic primary to avoid a runoff later that month, and the race is wide open, Miringoff said.
Asked about the poll, Quinn campaign spokesman Mike Morey addressed her record, saying no one can compete with her on saving teachers' jobs and passing balanced budgets.
Weiner also has been campaigning as a fighter for middle-class New Yorkers. He has $4.3 million in his coffers, but lacks endorsements.
Weiner, married with a toddler son, was forced to resign from Congress in 2011 after he posted an explicit photo of himself on Twitter, lied about his social-media account being hacked and then admitted to exchanging inappropriate messages with at least six women.
More than half of voters -- 53 percent -- think Weiner deserves a second chance, while 39 percent say he lacks the character to be mayor, the poll showed.
Fresh off news of his rising poll numbers, Weiner faced off -- directly for the first time -- against four Democratic contenders at a candidates' forum about education.
Weiner didn't join his fellow Democrats in categorically opposing the current way troublesome students are disciplined in city schools and vowed to take on the teachers union if necessary to give bonuses to those who take jobs at troubled schools. He also said he would fight the governor for education funding.
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