Republican candidates in New York this year may be trying to distance themselves from Gov. George Pataki, but if the latest WNBC/Marist poll is correct they may want to sidle up to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

According to a news release just sent out by Marist:

MOST VOTERS CHARACTERIZE MAYOR BLOOMBERG AS COMPETENT AND INDEPENDENT: 82 percent of city voters characterize Mayor Bloomberg as competent, and 75 percent see him as independent. New York City voters divide over whether his style is confrontational. 48 percent believe it is and 52 percent believe it is not. 41 percent view the mayor as detached, and 59 percent do not.

VOTERS BELIEVE THE CITY IS HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION:
64 percent of voters believe New York City is moving in the right
direction. 30 percent think the city is moving in the wrong direction.

Most New Yorkers don't want Bloomberg to run for president, though. On that note, apparently, they're content to leave that race for Pataki.