Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) has a double-digit lead on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) among registered New York voters in a hypothetical 2010 Senate match-up, according to a Marist poll conducted Nov. 12, 16 and 17.
Giuliani was all over the headlines in New York on Thursday after associates leaked word he would not run for governor, as many had expected. Giuliani is reportedly more interested in the Senate race, and with good reason, according to the Marist results. He trumps Gillibrand, the freshman senator appointed in January, with a majority of voters, 54 to 40 percent. The margin of error was 3.5 percent.
Giuliani leads both among Republicans -- 84 to 12 percent -- and independents -- 55 to 41 percent. He even takes a third of Democratic voters, trailing Gillibrand 59 to 33 percent.
The Democratic breakdown underscores the problems Gillibrand continues to face among her own party base, most of whom had never heard of her she made the leap from House to Senate and many of whom still regard with suspicion her liberal credentials.
Giuliani leads in all regions of the state -- New York City, the suburbs and upstate.
In a hypothetical Senate primary between two of New York's most recent past GOP leaders, Giuliani has a big lead former Gov. George Pataki, 71 to 24 percent. The margin of error in the Republican sub-sample was 7 percent.
Marist also polled Giuliani in gubernatorial contests against Democratic incumbent David Paterson and likely Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo, currently the state's attorney general. As in other recent polls, Giuliani enjoys a wide lead over Paterson, 60 percent to 35 percent, but trails Cuomo, 43 percent to 53 percent.
Giuliani is well ahead of former Rep. Rick Lazio, the one declared Republican in the gubernatorial race, 71 to 24 percent. "Giuliani's decision has breathed new life into" Lazio's campaign, Marist wrote in their polling analysis.
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