Remember when a state assemblyman compared a hypothetical governor contest between Rudy Giuliani and David Paterson to one between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader? "The force would be with our governor," Keith Wright said. Well, it turns out, that's what voters think, too! Our Cuddle Guv has a record statewide favorable rating of 62 percent, according to a new Siena College poll. In a hypothetical matchup between Paterson and Bloomberg, the New York City mayor would still come out on top. But we know Bloomberg's got another goal in sight, and it turns out Paterson would crush Giuliani, the former mayor, in the city as well as in the traditionally Republican upstate areas. Only suburban New York would lean toward Giuliani, but it wouldn't be enough to bring the former presidential candidate to victory. It's Paterson's seemingly prescient attempts to tackle the state budget deficit that give most people confidence in him.

The election is not for another two years, and Paterson faces the incredibly daunting task of tackling the state economic crisis. But the voters believe in him, and we have only one piece of advice: Do, or do not, Governor Awesome. There is no try.

PATERSON WOULD BEAT RUDY: POLL [NYP]
Earlier: A Giuliani-Paterson Matchup Would Be Like ‘Luke Skywalker Against Darth Vader’