Outside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway

Voters Not Eager To See Mike Bloomberg Run In 2012

Doug Mataconis
6

Despite the play that it’s gotten among the punditocracy, the idea of New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg running for President isn’t generating much excitement among voters:

Massive amounts of attention have been given over the last few years to a possible Michael Bloomberg Presidential run in 2012. And a new PPP poll finds that he is indeed a unifier- Democrats, Republicans, and independents all don’t like him.

Only 19% of Americans expressed a favorable opinion of Bloomberg on our most recent national poll while 38% said they see him unfavorably. That -19 favorability spread makes him more unpopular than Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and even Sarah Palin and places him slightly ahead of only Newt Gingrich. Republicans are the most negative toward him, giving him a 12/48 favorability. Independents weigh in at 19/37, and only Democrats even come close to rating him positively with 24% saying they have a favorable opinion of him to 30% with a negative one.

Tested in a hypothetical three way contest with Barack Obama and Mitt Romney Bloomberg registers at only 11% with Obama getting 44% and Romney 38%. Bloomberg does decently with independents, getting 22%. But he has very little appeal to partisans- only 6% of Democrats say they would vote for him, less even than Romney’s 8%, and just 9% of Republicans say he’d receive their support.

Interestingly, the poll indicates that a Bloomberg candidacy would hurt a Republican candidate more than it would hurt PResident Obama:

Asked who they would support in a head to head between Obama and Romney, 50% of Bloomberg’s supporters say Romney to only 21% for Obama. As a result that gives Obama a 6 point lead in a three way with Romney when it’s only a single point in a head to head. Obama’s approval rating with the Bloomberg voters is just 22%. Bloomberg seems to be drawing support from voters who don’t much care either for Obama or for the GOP- and that’s a group that skewed strongly toward the Republicans in this year’s election.

As I suspected, the only people who seem eager to see Mike Bloomberg run for President are the pundits who take the Acela between New York and Washington.

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6 responses to “Voters Not Eager To See Mike Bloomberg Run In 2012”

  1. Tano Avatar
    Tano

    Clearly, a presidential re-elect is a referendum on the President. The first line question that people ask themselves is – do I want to see a second Obama term. Only if that answer is no is there any real consideration of alternatives. Thus, it is almost certain that a Bloomberg would draw more from Republican candidates – he becomes merely one more alternative for those dissatisfied with Obama.
     

    As I suspected, the only people who seem eager to see Mike Bloomberg run for President are the pundits who take the Acela between New York and Washington.

     
    What if the GOP nominee was Palin. What would you do then, Doug?
     

  2. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    I would be surprised is Bloomberg topped 11% in NYC alone running for Pres.

  3. James Joyner Avatar
    James Joyner

    I wonder how meaningful the poll is.  That is: How many people know anything about Bloomberg other than 1) He’s mayor of NYC and 2) He’s filthy, stinkin’ rich?   Indeed, what percentage even knows those two things?
    @Tano:  I don’t think Palin will be the nominee.  If she is, I’ll weigh the options based on likely outcomes.  A third party vote is tantamount to a vote for Obama, most likely, although it might not matter in Virginia.

  4. Doug Mataconis Avatar
    Doug Mataconis

    Tano,
    If that happens I will do what I did in 2008 when the major parties presented me with two inferior candidates. That year, I voted Libertarian and I’d be perfectly happy to do so again

  5. michael reynolds Avatar
    michael reynolds

    This soon after an election I don’t think the voters would be “eager’ to see a ticket of Jesus-Washington.  Let’s ask again a few months.

  6. JKB Avatar
    JKB

    James if correct that most people know nothing of Bloomberg and those that do know him as an avid gun grabber who heads an organization that seeks to deny guns to law abiding citizens in all jurisdictions just because NYC says so (MAIG).  As many mayors are now claiming ignorance of MAIGs real goals, Bloomberg really can’t go that route.  Plus he is the poster boy for the nanny state with his bans on salt, trans fats, smoking, soda for the poor, etc.
     
    Funny how the pundocrity keeps pushing Republican candidates who are just white Obamas.  How about a real alternative who represents the real concerns of the great unwashed as Katie calls us.

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