Neither the Quinnipiac nor the Rasmussen polls included Rick Lazio, who Paladino beat in the Republican primary, but who won a spot on the Conservative line.

Lazio, who many experts believe would draw more votes from Paladino than Cuomo, is deciding whether to remain on the ballot.

In the two-way race between Cuomo and Paladino, Quinnipiac found that Cuomo has strong leads among Democrats and women. 

Paladino not only crushes Cuomo among Republicans and those who consider themselves part of the Tea Party movement, but he also leads by a 49% to 43% margin among independents - a key voting bloc.

The tough-talking Paladino also leads among men by a 49-46% margin, Quinnipiac found.   

Nearly 80% of voters say their minds are made up.

"The question was whether Carl Paladino would get a bounce from his big Republican primary victory," Carroll said. "The answer is yes. He's within shouting distance and - you can count on it - he will be shouting."

Since winning the primary, Paladino has unleashed venomous attacks against Cuomo, most recently questioning his manhood and wondering if he has the "cajones" to publicly debate.

It's left Team Cuomo struggling to find a way to fight back against the unconventional slash-and-burn foe.

Cuomo's slim lead is in contrast to his strong job approval rating. More than two-thirds of likely voters say he is doing a good job as attorney general, while 54% have an overall favorable opinion of him compared to 34% who don't. 

For Paladino, 36% view him favorably, 31% unfavorably, and 31% said they don't know enough about him.

Helping Paladino is that 41% of voters say they want a governor who will bring change to Albany, while 22% favor someone who shares their values.

Another 21% want someone who is honest and trustworthy. 

In a potential bad sign for Cuomo, the first-term attorney general whose father was a three-term governor, just 10% listed "right experience" as the quality that matters most in deciding how they will vote.