Republican John Cahill is winnowing Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s lead in the race for the job of New York’s top lawyer, according to a poll released Friday. The Siena poll of 809 registered likely voters showed that 50 percent would re-elect Schneiderman, while 34 percent would vote for Cahill, former chief of staff to Gov. George Pataki. A month earlier, the Siena poll showed Schneiderman with a 54-27 percent lead.

“Cahill’s been advertising. That’s clearly had an effect on this,” Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said. “You spend money on TV, it has an impact.”

The poll showed Cahill ahead in upstate New York, with 44 percent of those surveyed saying they would vote for him if the election were today. Thirty-nine percent would vote for Schneiderman.

That’s a major change from upstate polling in August, when Schneiderman led 51-34 percent. That’s where Cahill has been spending his campaign funds on television ads, Greenberg said.

In New York City, the new poll showed that 64 percent would vote now for Schneiderman, compared with 23 percent for Cahill. In August, Schneiderman led there 65-17 percent.

Cahill’s campaign said the poll shows him “closing fast” while Schneiderman’s effort has been listless. Cahill began campaigning in May.

Schneiderman’s campaign said he has been working as attorney general and launched his first TV ads only this week.

The poll conducted from last Thursday through Tuesday has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

In the statewide race for comptroller, the poll showed that 56 percent would vote now for incumbent Democrat Thomas DiNapoli while 27 percent would vote for Republican challenger Robert Antonacci, the Onondaga County comptroller.

The poll also gave New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo a commanding lead over Republican Rob Astorino. The survey shows Cuomo with 56 percent of the vote compared to 27 for Astorino, the Westchester County executive, and 7 percent for Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins.

Polls have consistently shown Cuomo well ahead in his bid for a second term. His favorability rating, however, dipped from 57 percent last month to 55 percent, the lowest since Cuomo took office.

(AP)