Poll: New Yorkers split on Kennedy

HAMDEN, Conn., Dec. 23 (UPI) -- New York voters are evenly divided on whether Caroline Kennedy, heir to one of the country's biggest political names, should be appointed U.S. senator.

While 41 percent of those surveyed by the Quinnipiac Poll said that Kennedy is qualified to fill the seat being vacated by Hillary Clinton, 40 percent said she is not. But 48 percent said they expect Gov. David Paterson to name her.

The poll released Tuesday found that Kennedy has more support than other likely choices. Given a choice among the field, 33 percent picked Kennedy, 29 percent state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and 4 percent Kirsten Gillibrand, a congresswoman from the Albany area. Another 24 percent wanted someone other than those three and 10 percent were undecided.

"Will we get another Kennedy in the Senate? Only Gov. David Paterson knows for sure," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac Polling Institute. "Among New Yorkers in general, Caroline Kennedy's grade is just OK."

The poll surveyed 834 registered voters between Dec. 17 and Dec. 21. The margin of error is 3.4 percentage points.