New York to Anthony Weiner: Drop out
Weiner's support collapses following news of his latest sexting escapades
Anthony Weiner is headed toward another epic flameout from politics.
With just six weeks to go before the Democratic primary in the New York City mayor's race, Weiner has fallen all the way to fourth place, according to a Quinnipiac poll released Monday. What's more, a majority of Democratic primary voters now say he should abandon the race altogether.
Weiner's free fall in the polls is no surprise, coming a week after he admitted to sexting three more women even after his misadventures in online dating forced him to resign from Congress in 2011.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"It looks like former Congressman Anthony Weiner may have sexted himself right out of the race for New York City mayor," Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a release announcing the findings.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn now leads the field with 27 percent, followed by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio (21 percent), former Comptroller Bill Thompson (20 percent), and then Weiner (16 percent.) That's a net 15-point swing against Weiner in just one week. In Quinnipiac's previous survey — taken immediately before news of Weiner's latest extramarital shenanigans broke — the former congressman led the field with 26 percent, followed by Quinn at 22 percent.
The latest finding is in line with a Marist poll released last week that showed Weiner's support eroding to 16 percent. However, that poll, taken only a day after Weiner's lewd chats came to light, still put him in second place, because it did not show his erstwhile backers drifting to the other candidates just yet.
Quinnipiac's latest offering also shows that a majority of primary voters want Weiner to give up before voting even begins. Fifty-three percent of likely Democratic primary voters say Weiner should abandon his campaign, versus 40 percent who say he should stick it out. Meanwhile, just 14 percent say the phrase "has a strong personal moral character" adequately describes the candidate.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
If Weiner somehow manages to rebuild his crumbling candidacy — his campaign chief quit over the weekend — and hang on for a second place finish, he would still likely get creamed in a runoff. If no candidate cracks 40 percent, there is an automatic runoff between the top two finishers. In the event of a runoff, the poll shows Weiner getting blown out by both Quinn (60-33) and Thompson (66-28) in head-to-head contests.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
-
Today's political cartoons - October 13, 2024
Sunday's cartoons - the swing of things, fear of facts, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 timely cartoons about climate change denial
Cartoons Artists take on textbook trouble, bizarre beliefs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Kris Kristofferson: the free-spirited country music star who studied at Oxford
In the Spotlight The songwriter, singer and film-star has died aged 88
By The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
1 of 6 'Trump Train' drivers liable in Biden bus blockade
Speed Read Only one of the accused was found liable in the case concerning the deliberate slowing of a 2020 Biden campaign bus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court rejects challenge to CFPB
Speed Read The court rejected a conservative-backed challenge to the way the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is funded
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published