N.Y. poll: Christie tops Cuomo in potential 2016 contest

ALBANY, N.Y. —The homefield advantage isn't helping Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a potential 2016 presidential matchup against New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Siena College poll released Monday found.

Republican Christie is favored over Democrat Cuomo 47% to 42% for president in 2016 among New York voters, the poll found. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Democrat, outdoes them both: She led Christie 56% to 40%.

"New Yorkers might like to poke fun at their Garden State neighbors – what New Yorker doesn't know a good Jersey joke? – but voters here like Chris Christie, the recently re-elected Republican governor. And it's not just Republicans," said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.

Christie had a 57% favorability rating with Democrats and a 67% favorability with independents, Siena found.

Christie has a 63% favorability rating overall in New York. Cuomo's favorabilty was 61%.

The favorability rating for Clinton, the former New York senator, first lady and secretary of State, was 67%.

Overall, Greenberg said, "Christie is besting Cuomo by five points. Cuomo's New York City lead is not enough to offset Christie's comparable upstate and suburban leads, not to mention Christie's 21-point lead among independent voters."

Spector writes for the Gannett Albany (N.Y.) bureau.