Siena Poll Gives Turner Bad News

Forest Hills Rep. Bob Turner is having a hard time making any headway against both his Republican opponents and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, if the latest Siena College poll is to be believed.

In a poll released Monday morning, which covered topics like the presidential campaign, New York’s minimum wage and more, Turner’s, R-Forest Hills, favorability ratings actually dropped four points from one month ago and most voters still have yet to form an opinion.

Turner’s favorability rating was a measly 12, compared to 16 last month, and his unfavorable number was 16, while 72 percent of voters polled had yet to form an opinion.

Turner’s Republican opponents George Maragos and Wendy Long fared little better, scoring an eight and a 10 respectively on the same question.

Gillibrand’s, D-N.Y., numbers also took a hit, falling from a 54 percent favorable rating in March to a 48 now, which still strongly outpaces her 27 percent unfavorable rating, which has climbed from a recent low of 20 in February.

Ultimately, according to pollsters, the numbers still favor the incumbent Democrat.

“Far more known than any of her potential opponents and with a majority of voters prepared to re-elect her, Gillibrand continues to look strong less than six months until Election Day as she seeks her first full six-year term,” pollster Steven Greenberg said. “Two-thirds of Republicans are undecided on which candidate they support to challenge Gillibrand, with primary day just six weeks away.”

In a head-to-head question, Gillibrand earned 59 percent of poll respondents with Turner earning 25, a slightly better result than Turner received last month in the same poll.

Republicans will make a final decision on who will face Gillibrand in the state's primary on June 26.

In the same poll, President Barack Obama received a strong favorability rating among New York residents and held on to a wide lead over Republican nominee Mitt Romney.