Cuomo, Lamont rate high in Quinnipiac approval poll; Trump not so much

Govs. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Ned Lamont of Connecticut and Phil Murphy of New Jersey are all rating high with their constituents, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll.

The polls were conducted simultaneously in all three states, and include responses from a total of over 2,800 registered voters.

In New York, Cuomo received a 72% job approval rating and an 81% approval rating for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump recorded a 36% job approval rating and a 35% approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio got a 63% approval for his handling of the pandemic among New York City voters.

In Connecticut, Lamont scored a 65% job approval rating and a 78% approval rating for his handling of the virus. Trump got a 36% job approval rating from Connecticut residents and a 36% approval rating for his handling of the pandemic.

In New Jersey, Murphy received a 68% job approval rating and a 78% approval rating for his handling of COVID-19. Trump scored a 36% job approval rating and a 37% approval rating for his handling of the virus.

Roughly two-thirds in each of the states also said the restrictions put in place in their state to slow the spread of the virus are about right, while only about 20% said they don’t go far enough and about 15% think they go too far.

Time frames for when voters in each of the states think it will be safe to begin to lift their state’s stay-at-home order and reopen the economy are:

In the next few months or longer:

• NY: 58%
• CT: 59%
• NJ: 55%

Immediately or in the next few weeks:

• NY: 38%
• CT: 38%
• NJ: 39%

Even if restrictions are lifted in the next few weeks, roughly 7 out of 10 in each state would be uncomfortable going to restaurants or bars, more than 8 out of 10 wouldn’t be comfortable going to a large sports or entertainment event, and people in each state are split about returning to work outside the home.

Cuomo plans to allow some businesses to start reopening when his executive order expires on May 15, while Lamont expects to do the same on May 20. Murphy allowed state parks, golf courses and county parks to reopen on May 2, but yesterday extended his public health emergency declaration for 30 days.

Seventy-one percent of voters in all three states say slowing the spread of COVID-19 should be a priority, even if it hurts the economy. Roughly 75% of respondents in each state also think that there should be more testing in their state before starting to lift stay-at-home orders.

New Jersey residents are the most optimistic that their state will be back to normal a year from now, 53-40%, followed by New Yorkers, 47-47%, and Connecticut residents, 46-51%.