Poll: Rice Has Big Lead in Race for Dem AG Nod, But Many Are Still Undecided

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice showed strength against her four Democratic rivals for the Democratic nomination for state attorney general in a recent SurveyUSA poll conducted for WABC-TV.

Ms. Rice was favored by 32 percent of those surveyed, easily outdistancing state Senator Eric Schneiderman of Manhattan (9 percent), Assemblyman Richard Brodsky of Elmsford (9 percent), securities litigator Sean Coffey (7 percent) and former state insurance superintendent Eric Dinallo (7 percent). Ms. Rice's total, in fact, equaled the 32 percent that the other four candidates got combined.

Still, 36 percent of the respondents to the survey said they were undecided, outdistancing even Ms. Rice's support in the Sept. 15 primary to pick the Democrats' standardbearer against Republican Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan for November's general election. Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo is running for governor.

SurveyUSA conducted its poll from July 12 to 14 using automated telephone calls to New Yorkers statewide. Results were used from 501 New York residents who identified themselves as likely to vote in the Sept. 15 primary. The polling group said the order of the candidates was altered when being presented to voters for their choices. The margin of error in the poll was plus or minus 5 percentage points.