DeB is the big dipper in poll
His numbers drop, but re-elex odds solid
Mayor de Blasio’s poll numbers have tumbled — but the lower favorability ratings haven’t come close to derailing his bid for re-election in November, according to a survey released on Monday.
Voters approve of the mayor’s job performance by a 50 to 42 percent margin, the latest Quinnipiac University survey found — down from a 60-34 showing on May 17.
They also are split on whether he deserves a second term — 46 to 46 percent — even though 57 percent said in May he deserved re-election while 35 percent said he did not.
But when it comes to a general election showdown against Nicole Malliotakis, a Staten Island Republican Assembly member, de Blasio is way ahead, 57-22. His lead in May was 64-21.
“Leave out the one big question — the re-election match-up — and this is a pretty bad poll for Mayor Bill de Blasio,” said pollster Maurice Carroll.
When independent candidate Bo Dietl is factored in, de Blasio’s margin of victory gets even larger — 52 percent for the mayor, 15 percent for Malliotakis and 11 percent for Dietl.
The issue for Malliotakis and Dietl appears to be largely name recognition.
When it came to favorability ratings, 78 per- cent of voters said they don’t know enough about Malliotakis to form an opinion, while 74 percent said the same of Dietl.
One of the highest numbers in the poll was registered when voters were asked who should cover the mayor’s legal-defense bills for state and federal investigations of his administration. Seventyeight percent said he should pay the $2 million.
De Blasio initially said — and repeatedly insisted — he’d raise the money in a legal-defense fund without burdening taxpayers.
But when the Conflicts of Interest Board ruled the maximum donations to such a fund would be significantly limited, the mayor suddenly reversed course and said he’d stick taxpayers with the bill.
The poll surveyed 877 city voters between July 20 and July 26.
Meanwhile, the mayor’s campaign submitted paperwork on Friday show- ing that he’d be seeking the full allotment of public matching funds for the Democratic primary — even though his opponents have raised a fraction of his $4.7 million haul.
At the moment, that means as much as $3.2 million in taxpayer money — which is matched at 6-to-1 for donations of up to $175.
A campaign spokesman said the team is taking nothing for granted and working for every vote.