There are some new favorability numbers for former New York City mayor and GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani in the latest Siena Research Pol.
Giuliani, who is reportedly considering a run for governor next year, was viewed favorably by 55 percent of respondents in the poll. Forty-one percent had a negative view of the former mayor.
Giuliani made waves on Monday but ripping the legislation Gov. David Paterson introduced last week that would legalize gay marriage in the Empire State. In an interview with the New York Post, Giuliani vowed to fight back against the legislation.
“I think gay marriage will obviously be an issue for any Republican next year because Republicans are either in favor of the position I’m in favor of, civil unions, or in many cases Republicans don’t even favor civil unions,” he said. “Marriage, I believe, both traditionally and legally, has always been between a man and a woman and should remain between a man and woman.”
Giuliani is scheduled to speak at a GOP fundraising dinner on Monday, adding more fuel to the speculation is he looking to run for governor.
And the Siena poll found that Giuliani would be in the mix if he did decide to run. If he were to face Paterson in the general election, Giuliani would win 56 percent to 29 percent. But if he faces Democratic Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who leads Paterson 64 to 11 in a Democratic primary but has not declared he will run, Giuliani loses 53 percent to 39 percent.
There was a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points in the poll.