ALBANY – Sen. Charles Schumer would clobber Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in a Democratic primary for governor – but former Mayor Rudy Giuliani would beat them both in the general election, according to a poll released yesterday.

The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion survey also found that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton would face a tight race if challenged by Gov. Pataki, and would likely lose if challenged by Giuliani.

The new poll found Schumer, who is believed to be eyeing the governor’s race in 2006, would defeat Spitzer, widely regarded as the Democrats’ front-runner for the gubernatorial nomination, in the Democratic primary by 54 to 29 percent, with 17 percent undecided.

“What this suggests is that Schumer’s general popularity with Democrats is outdoing Spitzer’s popularity based on his role as attorney general,” said Marist polling director Lee Miringoff.

“I suspect it’s a preference for Schumer rather than a rejection of Spitzer,” he added.

Giuliani, who has said he’s thinking of running for office in two years, topped Schumer, 52 to 35 percent, and Spitzer, 53 to 32 percent, in a hypothetical match-up for governor, the poll found.

Pataki, who many Republicans believe won’t seek a fourth term, trailed Schumer by 1 percentage point in a race for governor, 44 to 43 percent, but led Spitzer 45 to 34 percent, according to the poll.

The poll also found Clinton with a 55 percent job-approval rating – her highest ever – but it also showed she could face a tough re-election battle in two years.

Giuliani beat Clinton, 50 to 45 percent, while Pataki tied the former first lady, at 46 percent each.

Meanwhile, the poll showed Pataki could face a tight re-election battle in 2006 against either Schumer or Spitzer, although Schumer right now is the tougher foe.

“He’s under 50 percent, which is significant for an incumbent,” Miringoff said of Pataki’s showing.

The poll also found 49 percent of New York voters disapprove of Pataki’s job performance while 46 percent approve, an improvement for the governor who received a 40 percent approval rating in September.

The poll surveyed 617 registered voters Jan. 6-7 and has a plus or minus 4 percentage-point margin of error for its major findings.

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ALBANY, HERE THEY COME

A new poll reveals the early results of the race for governor of the likely candidates.