LI voters to play pivotal role in governor race

Long Island voters can expect to play a pivotal role Nov. 2 in state elections. Whatever polling shifts are coming, Nassau and Suffolk results in the governor's contest look likely to fall between Republican Carl Paladino's upstate strongholds and Democrat Andrew Cuomo's New York City domain. In a Marist poll released Friday, for example, Cuomo's lead among likely five-borough voters was 65-23 percent, with 6 percent for Conservative Rick Lazio (providing he keeps that line). Upstate, however, it was 43-43-7. But this region's suburbs showed Cuomo at 52, Paladino at 30 and Lazio at 16.

CLEARANCE DEAL?: Some find it ironic that Republican comptroller candidate Harry Wilson, who advised President Barack Obama's auto industry task force, opened his local headquarters in a closed Chrysler dealership in Lindenhurst. Former auto "czar" Steve Rattner, in his recent book "Overhaul," discusses Wilson's key role in the General Motors bailout - but also notes Wilson's fierce opposition to bailing out Chrysler. Wilson faces Democratic incumbent Thomas DiNapoli.

PARTY FAVORS:Daniel Donovan (not the AG hopeful) apparently emerged as the Nassau Conservative Party's new chairman-elect after a contentious meeting Friday night, but dissidents who see Donovan as too tied to GOP chairman Joseph Mondello may be headed to court . . . David Mejias refused to give up his Working Families line against Republican Sen. Kemp Hannon - even though he withdrew from the Democratic race after his widely publicized arrest and endorsed Francesca Carlow, now that party's nominee. Curiously, WFP's website Friday listed Carlow among its "endorsements" . . . Jay Jacobs, the Nassau Democratic chairman, was re-elected to a two-year term as state party chairman.

HOUSING HIT: In one of its numerous Cuomo-mocking e-mails, the Paladino camp portrays their opponent showering off muddy smudges, one labeled "Farkas." Paladino allies say it refers to Cuomo's ties to Andrew Farkas, a developer who settled a contentious lawsuit with U.S. Housing and Urban Development when Cuomo was secretary - before Cuomo worked for Farkas' Island Capital Group with dealings as far off as Dubai. Rivals raised this in the 2002 and 2006 primaries. Farkas has contributed $50,000 to Cuomo-Duffy 2010.