Polls: Paterson, Gillibrand, Murphy struggle

Poll numbers are up this week for the Democratic team that faces a wave of elections over the next nine months:

Voters were quizzed about Governor David Paterson, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and House hopeful Scott Murphy.

And the numbers ain’t pretty.

The House

Let’s start at the bottom of that list: Republican Jim Tedisco’s campaign released poll numbers this week that show him with a 50-29% lead over Democrat Scott Murphy.

Murphy has zero name recognition, a hurdle he’ll have to overcome in just over a month of campaigning. But according to one report, he’s already raised $600,000.

The Senate

Next up, Sen. Gillibrand. She faces a special election next year and then another contest in 2012. A Quinnipiac poll shows her losing to fellow Democrat Carolyn McCarthy AND to “Undecided.”

Gillibrand is a strong campaigner and fundraiser, but the “rifle under the bed” stuff is problematic.

She also runs the risk of being painted as a habitual triangulator.

The Governor

But the big loser in all this shuffling of cards appears to be Governor Paterson himself. The same Q poll shows him losing to fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo by a 55-23% margin.

How can Cuomo resist taking on that fight?

Meanwhile, Paterson is tied 43-43% with Republican Rudy Giuliani.

So how’s this for a doomsday scenario for Democrats?

Two years after Gillibrand holds her House seat, Sen. Clinton rises to the Obama Administration and Gov. Paterson takes control in Albany, we could see a Republican sweep.

The GOP might begin its East Coast comeback in one of the bluest states in the Northeast.
Governor Guiliani, Sen. Pataki and Rep. Tedisco? What do you think?