Paterson in Freefall, Craters at 26%

Things aren't looking to good for New York's accidental Governor.

Freefall! Governor Paterson’s Approval Rating Plummets 20 Percentage Points…Lands at 26%: New Yorkers are sending a strong message to Governor David Paterson, “Shape Up!” Just 26% of registered voters report the governor is doing either an excellent or good job in office. That’s a drop of 20 percentage points since the Marist Poll last asked this question at the end of January. In fact, Governor Paterson’s approval rating is the lowest approval rating a New York State governor has received in the Marist Poll’s nearly thirty year history of statewide surveys. Has the governor lost favor within his own party? Here’s the party breakdown. Among registered Democrats in New York State, 30% think Paterson is doing an above average job while 65% disagree. Across the aisle, Republicans also overwhelmingly disapprove of Paterson’s performance. Just 26% of members of New York’s GOP approve of the job Paterson is doing as governor while 72% think he is doing a fair or poor job. Only 20% of non-enrolled voters agree that Paterson is doing well in the position. Opinions across the state are consistently low.

Paterson was at 57% in October 2008. Remarkably, he's now ranks lower than Eliot Spitzer did in the fateful last week of his administration.

Paterson would lose big to Rudy Giuliani in a general election a 16-point swing since January.

Meanwhile, Paterson may be fortunate to be the Democrat nominee.

Party’s Over for Paterson? Cuomo’s Our Man, Say NYS Democrats…More Than Three-Quarters of Republicans Root for Rudy: If next year’s Democratic primary for governor were held today, Governor David Paterson would not be his party’s nominee. In fact, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo receives more than double the support of New York State Democrats than does Paterson. 62% of Democrats in New York State say they would support Cuomo while just 26% would back Paterson. Across the aisle, there’s little question about whom Republicans would want on the ballot. 78% of New York’s GOP says Rudy Giuliani is the best man for the job. Just 17% of Republicans think Rick Lazio is the candidate to turn the state around.

Memo to Republicans: Start tying Paterson's failed policies to Barack Obama. At some point people will begin realizing they have a lot in common, and I'm not talking about their complexion.