Pubdate: Sun, 24 Oct 2004
Source: Times Union (Albany, NY)
Copyright: 2004 Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation
Contact:  http://www.timesunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/452
Author: Michele Morgan Bolton, Staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?140 (Rockefeller Drug Laws)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/David+Soares

SOARES, BRESLIN LEADING IN POLL

Democrats in Races for Albany County DA, State Senator Have Strong
Support, Survey Shows

ALBANY -- A political newcomer waging an ardent grass-roots campaign
on Rockefeller Drug Laws reform is comfortably leading in the
three-way battle for Albany County district attorney, according to an
independent Times Union/News Channel 13 poll.

However, almost a third of those polled said they are still undecided
nine days before the election.

Of the 622 residents questioned by the Siena Research Institute
between Oct. 19-21, 38 percent said they planned to vote for David
Soares, 34, who seized the Democratic Party line from incumbent
District Attorney Paul Clyne in a dramatic Sept. 14 primary election.

Clyne, 44, and Soares, a former assistant in his office, both live in
Bethlehem.

Clyne still has the Independence Party line. Roger Cusick, 54, of
Loudonville, is running on the Republican and Conservative Party lines.

Poll results show Soares leading Clyne and Cusick by a ratio of more
than 2 to 1, with 17 percent favoring Clyne and 15 percent backing
Cusick.

Reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws -- a key campaign issue for
Soares, who has criticized them as being too severe -- appears to be
popular. Sixty-six percent of survey respondents said his stance was a
plus.

Thirty-seven percent of women and 42 percent of Democrats called the
issue "very important." Among undecided voters, 66 percent said reform
is important.

Less than 20 percent of all likely voters polled said they considered
the reform platform "not very important" in their decisions, as did 27
percent of Republicans. Still, 22 percent of Republicans polled said
they will vote for Soares because of his reform stance.

"I'm glad to see that my message of a tough and smart approach to
fighting crime is being well-received by the people of Albany County,"
Soares said. "I think my growing support shows that voters do believe
that you can be both tough and smart on crime at the same time. And I
am especially gratified to see so many voters of all stripes share the
cause of real reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws."

Clyne's campaign manager, Bob Haggerty, stressed that the high number
of undecided voters in the Times Union poll indicates the race is far
from over.

"Paul's campaign has picked up significantly in the last two weeks,"
Haggerty said. "There's a great perception around the county. We think
Paul is closing in on Mr. Soares."

Cusick spokesman Matt Burns said he wasn't concerned about the poll
results: "The only poll we're concerned about is Nov. 2, when the
people of Albany County decide."

The survey also covered the 46th District state Senate race between
incumbent Democrat Neil Breslin and Albany County Comptroller Mike
Conners, who switched parties to challenge Breslin as a Republican.

Breslin easily led Connors by a ratio of 3 to 2, or 42 percent to 27
percent.

Conners had 59 percent of Republicans surveyed, but a sizable 18
percent of GOP voters liked Breslin. Conversely, only 10 percent of
Democrats said they would vote for Conners.

"We have strange circumstances in this election that muddy the
waters," said Siena's director of polling, Joe Caruso, pointing to
Clyne's loss of his own party line and Conners' jump across the aisle.

"The undecideds -- and about a quarter of Democrats and Republicans
say they are -- are going to have to choose what's most important to
them: party loyalty, incumbency or stance on issues," he said. "So,
the undecided vote might not split proportionally to the current
breakdown, as generally happens."

Another interesting development is that about a quarter of the 18- to
34-year-olds polled said they will vote for the first time on Nov. 2.
Almost 1,000 new voters have registered at the Albany County Board of
Elections since June 1.

Furthermore, Caruso said, the 34 percent of Republicans who said
they'd vote for either Clyne or Soares probably made those decisions
based on issues.

Clyne had the backing of 17 percent of Republicans polled, which
pollsters said could be a consequence of his incumbency.

"Soares has built his campaign largely on reform of the
Rockefeller-era Drug Laws, and 62 percent of Republicans say this
issue is very important or somewhat important to them. As for
Republicans voting for Clyne? There is consideration of the fact that
he is the incumbent, and these Republicans are either satisfied with
the job he is doing and/or the issues he embraces."
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake