Kris Alingod – AHN News Contributor
Albany, NY, United States (AHN) – Republican candidate Carl Paladino is behind state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo by double digits but New York’s Senate race remains fluid, according to a poll released as Paladino counters criticism for fighting with a reporter seeking proof of his claim that Cuomo had paramours.
Cuomo leads the conservative, 53 percent to 38 percent, among likely voters in the Marist poll. The Democrat had a 52-33 percent advantage in a similar survey last week, before former Rep. Rick Lazio dropped out from the race.
Among moderates, Cuomo leads 57 percent to 34 percent. The state attorney general holds a commanding 70 percent support in New York City, but is statistically even with Paladino upstate, 46 percent to 47 percent.
The race has grown competitive in the suburbs, where 49 percent choose the Democrat and 43 percent support the Republican, significantly changed from Cuomo’s 53-30 percent lead last week.
Sixty percent have a favorable impression of Cuomo, while 31 percent have an unfavorable view of him and 9 percent are undecided. In contrast, 34 percent have a positive view of Paladino, 48 percent view the conservative negatively, and 18 percent are unsure.
The GOP continue to be more enthusiastic about the elections than Democrats. But the discrepancy has decreased from 51 percent of registered Republicans and 34 percent of Democrats to 44 percent of GOP voters and 33 percent of Democrats.
The poll is the first since Lazio withdrew from the race. The four-term congressman lost to Paladino during the Republican primary early this month despite having secured the Republican nomination in a state convention.
Paladino, a real estate developer and former Democrat, petitioned his way onto the ballot and became one of a number of political newcomers with Tea Party backing to defeat establishment candidates in this election year filled with voter distrust.
The Republican candidate is under fire because of a videotaped heated exchange this week with New York Post editor Fredric Dicker, who was asking him about his allegation that Cuomo had affairs.
The shouting match, which has Paladino threatening, “You send another goon to my daughter’s house and I’ll take you out,” has been widely viewed on YouTube and has prompted editorials questioning Paladino’s qualifications for governor.
“Try to imagine a man with Paladino’s anger-management issues dealing with the daily pressures and complexities of the job,” the New York Daily News said. “Imagine him winning over the Legislature. Imagine him responding calmly and coolly to a natural disaster or, God forbid, a terrorist attack.”
“It appears as though the man who so enjoys dishing it out can’t even take a tough grilling from an irritating reporter,” the New York Times added.
Dicker was seeking proof behind Paladino’s comments in an interview early this week with Politico.
“Has anybody asked Andrew Cuomo about his paramours?,” the Republican had told the newspaper. “When he was married or asked him why his wife left him or threw him out of the house?”
The campaign manager for Paladino said Friday the altercation happened because the GOP candidate was trying to protect his daughter. According to Michael Caputo, a photographer from the Post attempted to take photos of Paladino’s young daughter through the windows of their home.
“We believe this conduct puts Carl Paladino’s daughter in harm’s way, susceptible to kidnapping or sexual predators,” Caputo said. “This behavior by the New York Post and their senior political editor Fred Dicker is unacceptable. Endangering the safety of a 10-year-old child is repugnant.”
Paladino has also backpedaled from his allegation about Cuomo’s affairs, despite telling Dicker repeatedly during their argument that he would reveal evidence of his claims “at the appropriate time.”
The conservative told the Buffalo News he was not accusing Cuomo of infidelity but expressing exasperation over questions about his life. Paladino early in his campaign admitted to having fathered a child out of wedlock.
“Mr. Paladino should not be surprised by the media’s interest in his families, as he has invited public scrutiny of his personal life by running for governor and speaking openly about his mistress and love child,” Post editor-in-chief Col Allan argued.
The controversy is the latest surrounding Paladino, who previously came under fire for forwarding dozens of emails containing photos of bestiality, pornography and racism.
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