Albany (New York), Oct 02: President George W. Bush's support among New Yorkers has dropped since June to the point that he now trails five democrats in the heavily democratic state, according to a poll which has been released. The Qunnipiac University Polling Institute found the Republican President's approval rating is at its lowest in New York, 42 per cent, down from 52 per cent in June. Bush's previous low was 44 per cent in June 2001, before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Bush's historic high support- 82 per cent approval- that had New York Republicans saying he could win New York's electoral votes in 2004.
``He's had a bad run,'' said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac poll. ``The economy is sinking in, and I bet the phrase they hate to hear in the white house is `like father, like son.''' The first President Bush lost his bid for a second term on a poor economy despite winning the Gulf war.
``I still think that the republicans are going to work in New York'' to re-elect President Bush, Carroll said. ``They aren't going to skip it like they did last time (in 2000) ... And look at the numbers. Upstate and in the suburbs, it's close.''
There are 5 million democrats statewide and 3 million Republicans.
In yesterday's poll, Bush runs behind the major democratic candidates and potential candidates. Those polled favoured former Vermont Gov. Howard dean 47 per cent to 43 per cent for Bush; backed Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman 49 per cent to 42 per cent; Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry 48 per cent to 43 per cent; and Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt 46 per cent to 44 percent. Bureau Report