Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo could shake up the gubernatorial race in that state if he decides to run for the office as an independent, a new poll finds.
According to a new poll by The Hill and Emerson College released Wednesday, the scandal-ridden Democrat would be backed by 16% of voters if he sought the office as an independent.
While his chances of reclaiming the office are slim after he resigned as governor last August amid sexual assault and harassment allegations, he could effectively split the Democratic vote, giving Republicans the Governor's Mansion, according to the poll.
The investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James of the sexual assault and harassment allegations felled Cuomo's rising star in national Democratic politics due to his daily televised COVID-19 pandemic updates.
"The best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing," Cuomo, in his third term, said in a televised address announcing his resignation from the office.
Thirty-three percent of voters said they would vote for the Democrat on the ticket, which is likely to be current Gov. Kathy Hochul. Another 33% said they would support the Republican candidate, who will likely be Rep. Lee Zeldin; and 18% of voters said they were undecided.
The poll included 444 likely Democratic primary voters, and 182 likely GOP primary voters, according to The Hill.
Hochul, who was Cuomo's lieutenant governor and succeeded him after he resigned from office, faces six Democratic primary challengers, including Rep. Tom Suozzi and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
According to the poll, Hochul has the support of 45% of Democrats in the primary, followed by 12% for Suozzi, and 22% remain undecided.
In the GOP primary race, Zeldin has the support of 26% of voters, with 18% supporting former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's son Andrew for the nomination, and 16% supporting former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, according to the poll.
The Hill reported that while Hochul is the favorite in the Democratic primary, her approval rating is underwater, with 45% disapproving of her job and 36% approving her job performance since Cuomo's exit.
New York's statewide primary elections are set for June 28. The general election is on Nov. 8, according to Ballotpedia.
The poll surveyed 1,000 registered New York voters May 1-3 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points for the whole survey, plus or minus 4.6 percentage points for the Democratic primary voters and plus or minus 7 percentage points for Republican primary voters.
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