Poll: Lazio has strong lead over Levy, Paladino

ALBANY - Former Rep. Rick Lazio has a 3-1 lead over Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and Buffalo developer Carl Paladino in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, according to a new poll.

However, 40 percent of GOP voters were undecided.

The Quinnipiac University Poll found 34 percent of Republicans backed Lazio, who represented a Suffolk district in Congress, with Levy and Paladino each at 11 percent.

State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the presumed Democratic nominee for governor, would trounce all three Republicans, according to the survey.

"Steve Levy and Carl Paladino don't register at this stage," pollster Maurice Carroll said. "But neither of them is a shrinking violet. As they start to make noise, we'll see if they can cut into Rick Lazio's lead."

Lazio spokesman Barney Keller said the poll results make it "clear that Republicans are overwhelmingly behind Rick Lazio." The Levy and Paladino camps didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

HOW NY WOULD VOTE

In a Republican primary

Rick Lazio: 34%

Steve Levy: 11%

Carl Paladino: 11%

Undecided: 40%

In a general election

Andrew Cuomo (D) 55%

Rick Lazio 26%

Andrew Cuomo 57%

Steve Levy 24%

Andrew Cuomo 60%

Carl Paladino 24%

The Quinnipiac Poll of 1,381 registered voters, conducted April 6-11, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.