"If there's a racial issue in a matchup between Gov. David Paterson and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, these numbers don't show it. Black Democrats back Cuomo hands down, and black voters in general give Cuomo better grades than the Governor on every measure -- even in a race against [former] Mayor Rudolph Giuliani," said Quinnipiac's Maurice Carroll.

The poll basically confirms what other recent polls in New York have reported. If Giuliani faces off against Paterson in a general election, he leads 54 percent to 32 percent, but Cuomo beats Giuliani, 50-40. Paterson would run even with Republican Rep. Rick Lazio at 38 percent, while Cuomo would trounce Lazio, 61 percent to 22 percent.