Poll: Ray Kelly Tops List Of Potential NYC Mayoral Candidates
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed Ray Kelly as Police Commissioner in January 2002, and according to a recent poll, it turns he might've appointed his successor.
A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday asked participants who they would "most like to see elected mayor in 2013," and Kelly heads the list with 23 percent.
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The poll showed Kelly with the support of nearly half of all Republican respondents, and 23 percent of Independents - the highest approval for either of the two groups of any of the candidates listed.
Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, says Kelly has never shown a hint of interest in becoming mayor but New Yorkers seem to like the idea.
"He's in the news, he does a big job and an important job, and people like that, " Carrol told 1010 WINS.
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Only 17 percent of Democrats chose Kelly, however. Instead, they threw the most support behind City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, with 20 percent responding.
If Kelly doesn't run, the poll shows Quinn would be the frontrunner, with 23 percent of voters, including 24 percent of Democrats, 14 percent of Republicans, and 26 percent of Independents.
"New York hasn't had an Irish mayor since Robert Wagner, whose mother was Irish, but Kelly and Quinn sounds like a meeting of the Ancient Order of Hibernians," Carroll said.
Other potential candidates listed include Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, City Comptroller John Liu, William Thompson, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
The poll was conducted from July 19 to July 25, and has a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points.
Who would you want to see run for mayor of New York City? Sound off in our comments section below…
