Marist Poll: Bloomberg Leads Thompson By 16 Points

The latest Marist poll reveals that Mayor Bloomberg has opened up his lead against challenger City Comptroller Bill Thompson to 16 points amongst likely voters, with the incumbent receiving 52% to Thompson's 36%. Marist notes, "Last month, Bloomberg led Thompson among this group of voters by 9 percentage points — 52% to 43%, respectively. Although Bloomberg’s support is unchanged, Thompson has lost ground."

Marist also points out that Democratic voters have been shifting to Bloomberg: "Nearly half of Democrats — 47% — are planning to cast their ballot for Bloomberg while 39% are backing Thompson. Last month in a Marist survey conducted during the week of the Democratic primary, 51% supported Thompson, and 43% were behind Bloomberg." Here's the table for likely voters; f you look at Marist's table for registered voters, Bloomberg leads Thompson 47% to 38%.

At last count, Bloomberg had spent $65 million on his campaign advertising, while Thompson has reportedly spent 1/16 that.

Update: Thompson campaign spokeswoman Anne Fenton says:

"The key to this poll is that among the larger sample size of 744 NYC registered voters, the race is 47% for Mike Bloomberg and 38% for Bill Thompson - only a 9 point spread. Despite the nearly $100 million he has spent trying to buy this campaign, the Mayor is still under 50%, with 12% undecided. This is still a very open race and we are very optimistic.

The real numbers that New Yorkers are focused on are a 10.3 unemployment rate, 87% increase in property taxes, 98% increase in water rates and 1/3 of New Yorkers paying 50% of their monthly income on rent. Those are the numbers that New Yorkers will care about on November 3."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on October 22, 2009 2:16 PM

Comments [rss]

S.K.

Eiland for mayor.

Oxford

Bloomberg is not perfect but compared to Thompson is a walking miracle. I have tremendous confidence that Bbrg will lead the city effectively for another 4 years and would be very scared at the harm Thompson would do to our city.

Mr Mel

Could not have said it better myself. If we get a hack politician in office we'll get all the corruption that goes with it.

hunter.blatherer

Why anyone would vote for either of these clowns is beyond me. I'll be going with that "Rent is Too Damn High" fellow. There ain't nothin' else to talk about, y'all.

Not Your Sweetie

The barrage of attack adds is vomit inducing. let's see how many of these people polled actually will show up to vote. Bloomberg got less voters for more money with each of his bought elections. Maybe enough disgusted people will bother to show up for Thompson.

GOP

The man does a great job. He got my vote.

Qraymond

I'm confused. If Bloomberg is up by so much why is he going so negative on Thompson? Just out of spite?

It seems petty and small to me.

ed_Extinct

I called AT&T and they blocked this number: 000-000-0000. The calls were coming in twice a day 10AM and 4PM—very annoying.

JacqueMehoff

I'm one of his supporters. when a call came in from 1-000-000-0000 I told the caller that you can count on my vote for bloomberg.

of course, I'm not voting for him but I want to skew their numbers. anything to make them stop calling me.

they called right after the debate, too.

Mr Mel

Hey don't try to confuse us with the facts.

Mr Mel

I don't understand, are you or are you not supporting him?

whydididothis

He just really likes to post about his small victory about the Bloomberg machine. I swear, this is at least the second time I see him posting about that call. Doesn't make much to excite the little old guy.

JacqueMehoff

no it doesn't take much to make me happy.

that's why I don't have grey hairs.

small victories, my friend.

and I'll keep on warning people of this tactic by his campaign calling people with numbers such as 917-000-0000 and 111-111-1111.

whitecastlerock

It's about progress, not politics. I am totally stoked he is ahead in this poll...

felixthecat2

We cannot possibly forget how Mike got the Republican and Independence lines. Right, it was his money. Clarence Norman went to jail for $5,000 while Bloomberg has purchased his lines for well over $500,000. It's all in the nuance.

There were also those Democrat talking heads, Hank Scheinkopf, Howard Wolfson, and Andrea Schlessinger. There, too, the common denominator is money. Yes, Hank, Howard, and Andrea, we know that it was Bloomberg's tremendous talents that brought you on board. After all he was able to build two baseball stadiums squandering billions in tax payer dollars. Here is a Mayor who has shown real Democrat principles.

I was deeply concerned five years ago when Bloomberg and Kelly arrested law abiding citizens who only wanted to protest the Republican National Convention's coming to town. It was a disgrace. That, however, pales in comparison to the fact that Bloomberg has single handedly arrested democracy in New York City. We will recover, but we will forever be considered a national disgrace. Bloomberg clearly learned a lot from Iran.

EastRiver

Bloomberg has single handedly arrested democracy in New York City.

Logic fail. He's standing for reelection. The people will have a chance to have their voice heard. The term limit extension bill was passed by the city council, an elected body. Voters have already had an opportunity to voice their opinion of their council person in the primaries and will again be able to in the general election. And the change was deemed Constitutional in a challenge to the Federal District Court and the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

And your comparison with Iran is laughable.

hotstepper

i'm sure giuliani will take credit for the boost.

Kevin Bracken

Bloomberg better keep his promise to reform the Cabaret Law. That's why I'm voting for him

felixthecat2

http://bloombergwatch.com/

whitecastlerock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMTZfEPLNR0&feature=

felixthecat2

fuck, people are dumb. Pople need to be more educated than they are, but rather than read a book or newspaper, the present generations rely on the regurgitated, skewed information that flies at them from the media. It's easier to absorb something from the TV than to learn through independant research. FUCK FUCK FUCK

imadick

not everyone who disagrees with you is ignorant.

pal

if bloomberg didn't have so much money to spend on his campaign there would have been stronger candidates running against him and these polls would have been much closer. why would anyone who is supposedly so good with money spend so much on his campaign? because this is what it takes for him to win. along with being able to overturn term limits, bloomberg is taking advantage of what's wrong with our system in order to be mayor as opposed to staying in power off of the strengths of our "democracy". this is sad. he is vulture.