Sen. Clinton’s Popularity Drops in Poll

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s popularity has slipped with voters amid negative publicity surrounding her husband, former President Clinton, according to a new statewide poll.

Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said the senator’s favorability rating has slipped to 34% in a poll released Wednesday from 46% in December just after her victory over then-Rep. Rick Lazio.

Carroll attributed the slide to “an accumulation of things, but . . . most of the things have been the product of Bill Clinton, not Hillary.”

The former president, who has recently receded from public attention, sparked sharp criticism after leaving office for his controversial last-minute pardons. Both Clintons also were embroiled in a controversy over furniture and gifts they took when leaving the White House.

The poll, conducted March 20-26, gave Clinton her lowest ratings ever for trustworthiness, with 50% of voters saying she is not honest. About 52% of voters said she cares about the problems of New Yorkers. Only 40% said they approve of the job she is doing.

By contrast, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., was viewed favorably by 46% of voters polled and scored a job approval rating of 60%. Voters said Schumer was in touch with New York--59% said he cares about their problems and 73% said he understands the state’s issues.

The poll of 1,353 New York voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Clinton spokeswoman Karen Dunn dismissed the findings. “The numbers Sen. Clinton is focused on are the numbers that really matter to her constituents--how many new jobs we can create for New York, how many new teachers we put in our classrooms, and how many children still need health care,” Dunn said.