Cue the next comeback kid: Within one week of Anthony Weiner announcing that he’s running for New York City mayor, a new Marist poll of registered Democrats shows he trails only frontrunner, Christine Quinn, 24% to 19%. If this mayoral race goes to a runoff (because no one candidate received 40% of the vote), Quinn tops Weiner 49% to 33%.
In 2011 Weiner resigned from Congress after sending lewd photos of himself to other women via Twitter. The photos themselves may not be the most damaging issue. “I think the bigger problem and the more legitimate place for his opponents to go regarding that issue is the issue of trust. He lied to New Yorkers,” Cycle co-host Krystal Ball said on Tuesday’s show. “Christine Quinn is in direct contrast to that. She recently was very upfront and brutally honest about her own struggles about bulimia and alcoholism.” According to the poll, 59% of the party’s voters are willing to listen to what Weiner says about his behavior, compared to the 39% who say he doesn’t have the character to be mayor.
“Let’s not forget: Anthony Weiner’s kind of a jerk. He doesn’t have a lot of friends–even before the scandal he didn’t have the greatest reputation. Imagine that next to Christine Quinn,” S.E. Cupp said.
Weiner’s favorability rating in the new poll shows 44% of Democrats liking him and 44% not liking him. While there are 2.7 million registered Democrats in New York, only about 330,000 of them will actually vote. “Anything can happen in this race, because it’s going to be people who are really engaged that get out there,” Cycle co-host Ari Melber said. “I think if anything he should lose based off his record not anything to do with his personal problems.”
Abby Borovitz