For the second time this week, a New York poll shows former Rep. Rick Lazio (R) with an early advantage over Democrat-turned-Republican Steve Levy in the potential primary election race for governor. But Marist's latest poll finds that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D) still looks like the heavy favorite in November against either candidate.

Primary Election Matchup (217 RVs, 3/23-24, MoE +/- 7%)
Lazio 53 -- Levy 21 -- Und 26

General Election Matchups (775 RVs, MoE +/- 3.5%)
Cuomo 61 (-3 vs. last poll, 2/22-24)
Lazio 30 (+2)
Und 9 (+1)

(RCP Average for Cuomo vs. Lazio)

Cuomo 65 (no trend)
Levy 26
Und 9

Despite the woes of the current and previous Democratic governors, David Paterson and Eliot Spitzer, Andrew Cuomo posts strong numbers. Two-thirds of voters say he's more likely to be part of the solution than part of the problem in state government -- including even 50 percent of Republicans. Sixty-one percent rate Cuomo's job performance as excellent or good, while 34 percent say it's been fair or poor.

Paterson rates much worse, with only 17 percent rating his performance as excellent or good, and 80 percent rating it as fair or poor. Seventy-eight percent of New Yorkers say the state is going in the wrong direction.

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