Hochul Most Popular Choice for Cuomo's Running Mate: Poll

Who should Gov. Andrew Cuomo pick to be his running mate this year?

According to a new online poll, his best option is former Rep. Kathy Hochul.

With Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy deciding not to seek reelection, nearly 29 percent of respondents in a recent City & State Reports poll said that Cuomo should pick Hochul, who served part of one term in Congress representing Western New York before losing the seat to Chris Collins in 2013. Hochul, who previously served as Erie County clerk, joined M&T Bank after leaving Congress.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, a Cuomo ally, and Leecia Eve, a past lieutenant governor candidate and former Cuomo appointee who was named a vice president of government affairs for Verizon last summer, each were selected by 18 percent of voters. A fourth option, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, was picked by 9 percent of voters. 

However, the most common answer from the 521 respondents surveyed was "someone else." Among the popular write-in candidates were former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who was suggested by 10 respondents, as well as former Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, Ulster County Executive Mike Hein, Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, Long Island Association President & CEO Kevin Law, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney.

Other running mate suggestions were more far-fetched, including businessman Donald Trump, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Gov. David Paterson and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

All 24,000 subscribers to City & State's First Read email were invited to sign up for City & State Reports' email list. Those readers who opted to remain of the City & State Reports list were sent a follow-up message last week with a unique link to take the online survey—a measure that mitigated against duplicate voting. As this is an online survey, it is inherently less scientific than a professionally administered public poll and no margin of error can be ascertained.