Poll: Cuomo drops, but Astorino fails to gain

ALBANY -- The first statewide poll since Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo faced the brunt of claims that he interfered with his corruption commission gave the Democrat a new low in favorability, but 71 percent of New Yorkers said the scandal would have little or no bearing on their vote in November.

The Wall Street Journal-Marist College poll of adults and registered voters released Monday night found Cuomo sank to his lowest favorability ever at 53 percent among registered voters. But Republican candidate Rob Astorino gained little ground.

The poll found Cuomo led Astorino 54-23 percent. A month ago, Cuomo had a 59-24 percent edge over the Westchester County executive. Fifty-three percent didn't know or had no opinion of Astorino, the poll said.

"The more voters learn about Gov. Cuomo's involvement in the Moreland corruption scandal, the less likely they will be willing to vote for him," said Astorino spokeswoman Jessica Proud. "We are confident that as voters start to pay attention in the fall they will be looking for an outsider like Rob Astorino, who will bring real reform to Albany."

Cuomo's campaign declined to comment.

On July 23 The New York Times reported emails and interviews in which top Cuomo aide Lawrence Schwartz was accused of urging the commission to withdraw or drop plans for subpoenas to Cuomo's allies.

Cuomo has said Schwartz provided only advice to the Moreland Commission on public corruption. One of three co-chairman of the commission supported Cuomo's position.

The poll found 62 percent of those questioned believed Cuomo's staff shouldn't have gotten involved in the corruption commission and 52 percent said his staff acted unethically by allegedly intervening.

The poll questioned 1,039 adults July 28 to July 31 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Among those questioned were 852 registered voters.