Paterson approval shrinks to 19 percent

NEW YORK, May 4 (UPI) -- New York Gov. David Paterson's job approval has sunk to 19 percent, seven points lower than a month earlier, The Marist Poll indicated Monday.

Paterson's popularity has plummeted so far that 51 percent of the poll respondents said they preferred his scandal-plagued predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, including 50 percent of Paterson's fellow Democrats, the pollsters said.

While 66 percent of respondents said they believed Paterson was working hard, 66 percent also agreed he "does not have what it takes to lead the state" while only 28 percent described him as a good leader.

The Marist Poll found 68 percent of the New York electorate disapproves of how Paterson is handling the economic crisis, while 58 percent said he does not represent all regions of the state.

The survey included 1,029 registered voters in New York state was conducted on April 28-29. The pollsters said it carried at 3-percentage-point margin of error.