Spitzer leads comptroller's race: Poll

The first poll of the city comptroller's race since Eliot Spitzer launched his campaign showed the former governor leading his rival among Democratic voters.

Spitzer leads Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer 42% to 33%, with a quarter undecided, according to a Wall Street Journal-NBC4-Marist poll released Wednesday.

The comptroller race is Spitzer's return to politics after resigning from the governorship in 2008 when he was caught soliciting high-end prostitutes by federal investigators.

Of the poll numbers, Spitzer told reporters at a petitioning party in midtown last night: "I'm gratified, needless to say, that I'm ahead. It's very comforting, but it reflects that I have a lot of work I'm going to do."

Stringer's campaign manager Sascha Owen touted the Manhattan borough president as a "progressive reformer" with grassroots support.

"We're confident that as more voters get to know Scott he will be the obvious choice for comptroller," Owen said.