Poll: Lazio ahead of Paterson, trails Cuomo

ALBANY - Republican Rick Lazio has pulled ahead of Democratic Gov. David A. Paterson in the race for governor and is apparently making small gains against potential Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo, according to a Siena College poll released yesterday.

The former congressman from Long Island moved from a tie with Paterson in January to take a 46 percent to 39 percent lead.

The poll also shows 42 percent of Democrats support U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, while 16 percent back former Tennessee congressman Harold Ford Jr., who is exploring running against her in the primary. In a potential general election matchup, former Republican Gov. George Pataki would beat both Gillibrand and Ford.

In the governor's race, Lazio remains well behind Cuomo, 26 percent to 63 percent. He improved by 2 points, while Cuomo dropped 3 points. Lazio has steadily gained on Cuomo in that potential matchup, with Cuomo fading slightly since getting 68 percent of the voters' support in December.

Cuomo, in his first term as attorney general, won't say whether he will run for governor and refuses to comment on what he would do as chief executive, although he's holding governor-size fundraisers. He has amassed $16 million to Paterson's $3 million, in the last six-month period, according to January's Board of Elections filings.

Steven Greenberg, spokesman for the Siena Research Institute, said Cuomo remains in a strong position because both his slippage and Lazio's gains are slight.

Democrats have a nearly 2-to-1 enrollment advantage over Republicans in New York.