GOP Divided on Gov Race as Polls Favor Democrat

If the national political climate this year is supposed to favor Republicans, participants in the New York governor's race apparently haven't gotten the memo yet.

Polls show Democrat Andrew Cuomo overwhelmingly favored at the start of the race to replace departing Gov. David Paterson, even though the state attorney general hasn't even announced plans to run. Three Republicans vying to challenge him are engaged in a battle heavy on back room drama -- even as their candidacies barely register with voters.

New York isn't immune to the prevailing political environment; voters are freighted with some of the highest taxes in the country, and frustration with state leaders in Albany runs high.

The question is whether any of the Republican candidates in this field is strong enough to capitalize on the public mood and slow the Cuomo juggernaut.