Grimm leads despite facing a 20-count indictment on charges including tax evasion. Poll: Grimm takes 19-point lead

With less than a week until voters go to the polls, New York Rep. Michael Grimm leads his Democratic challenger, former councilman Domenic Recchia, 53 percent to 34 percent, according to a new NY1-Capital New York-Siena College poll released this evening.

Grimm leads among likely voters, despite facing a 20-count indictment on charges including tax evasion and perjury.


The incumbent congressman also had a higher favorability in the swing district, which includes all of Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn.

( POLITICO's polling center)

According to the poll, 48 percent of voters surveyed said they have a favorable opinion of Grimm, compared to just 31 percent for Recchia, whom 46 percent viewed unfavorably.

Only 8 percent said they did not know enough about Grimm to form an opinion, while 22 percent said they had no opinion of Recchia.

Grimm’s standing has improved since September, when a poll found him leading Recchia, 44 percent to 40 percent.

The results are a blow to the DCCC, which has spent heavily in the district promoting Grimm’s federal indictment.

( POLITICO's 2014 race ratings)

Grimm has the support of 31 percent of Democrats surveyed, and 83 percent of Republicans. Just 57 percent of Democrats said they were backing Recchia, the poll found. Among independents, Grimm leads 59 percent to 22 percent.

Asked who was waging the more negative campaign, 50 percent said Recchia, compared to just 25 percent for Grimm.

The poll comes as Grimm has received increasing institutional support in the closing days of the campaign.

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who made his name as an aggressive U.S. attorney in New York’s Southern District, said on the radio Thursday, “I would vote for Michael.”

“I believe and I hope he is innocent but, you know, courts decide that,” Giuliani said. “He is presumed innocent.”

( Full 2014 election results)

The Staten Island Advance also grudgingly endorsed Grimm on Thursday.

“As distasteful as this contest may be on a number of levels, we have a choice to make, as do the voters,” the editorial board wrote. “On Tuesday, Mr. Grimm is still the best practical choice for Staten Island.”

Grimm leads among voters on Staten Island, 58-30, while Recchia enjoys a narrow lead in Brooklyn, 44-41.

The NRCC told Capital on Thursday it has no plans to spend in the closing days of the race.

The poll of 713 likely voters, conducted between Oct. 26-28, has a margin of error was plus-or-minus 3.7 percent.

View the crosstabs here.