Anthony Weiner, Christine Quinn Lead NYC Democrat Poll For Mayor; Eliot Spitzer Ahead Of Scott Stringer For Comptroller

Former U.S. representative Anthony Weiner, who had to resign from Congress two years ago over his role in a sexting scandal, and Christine Quinn, the speaker of the New York City Council, lead Democratic candidates in the New York City mayoral race primary, a recent poll showed.

And, Eliot Spitzer, who stepped down as governor five years ago after being linked to a high-end prostitution ring, leads in the race for New York City comptroller, according to a new poll released on Monday by Quinnipiac University.

"Notoriety has earned the 'Tabloid Twins,' former Gov. Eliot Spitzer as Client 9 and former Congressman Anthony (Tweets) Weiner, good initial numbers in the polls," Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a press release.

The poll indicated that Weiner and Spitzer, despite their disgraceful exits from the public positions they previously held, were benefiting from the very recognition they attracted after the scandals, and were mostly not burdened by the negative publicity.

Weiner won 25 percent of the vote among registered Democrat voters, while Quinn was just behind him with 22 percent of the vote, although the difference between the candidates was within the poll’s margin of error.

Spitzer won 48 percent of the Democratic vote, compared with 33 percent in favor of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, in the primary race for city comptroller.

Weiner was propelled by a strong showing among black Democrats, winning a third of their support, and dealing a blow to William Thompson Jr., a former city comptroller, who is black, and was expected to win the support of the city’s black Democrat voters. Thompson won 11 percent of the vote in Monday’s poll, down five percent compared to a Quinnipiac poll released on June 26.

Spitzer was leading over Stringer among black voters, winning 61 percent, compared to his rival’s 26 percent, while Stringer won more support among white voters winning 44 percent, against Spitzer’s 36 percent.

Weiner got 29 percent of the male vote and 21 percent of the female vote, while Spitzer won 53 percent of his votes from men and 44 percent from women.

None of the five candidates in the race for mayor, the latest poll showed, were anywhere close to winning 40 percent or more of the vote, which is required to avoid a runoff, scheduled on Oct. 1.

The telephone poll, which was carried out among 738 Democratic voters, started on July 8, a day after Spitzer announced his decision to enter the race for comptroller, and ended on July 14.

"Whether those numbers hold up in the real poll on Primary Election Day is the big question," Carroll said, in the statement.