Tight Senate Race for Clinton and Giuliani (posted November 5, 1999)

First Lady Hillary Clinton and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani are locked in a tight race for U.S. Senate, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll. If the election were today, Giuliani is ahead by 46 to 42 percent, with 8 percent undecided. Each candidate holds roughly the same degree of favorable and unfavorable views from the electorate. When asked their opinion of Giuliani, 39 percent say they are favorable, while 34 percent hold unfavorable views. With Clinton, 37 percent are favorable and 38 percent unfavorable.

Equally interesting were voter impressions of which candidate would do a better job in handling leading issues. As shown below, Clinton is seen as better able to reform health care and improve education, while Giuliani is seen as more adept at reducing crime, having experience, and getting things done. These numbers portend at close race in November, 2000.

The survey was conducted October 23 to 28, 1999 with 1,026 registered voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.