Formally launching his New York Governor bid on Tuesday, the Republican nominee Rick Lazio clearly put across the message of new leadership, new ideas and reform; and called for a revamp of the state government, which he said had become dysfunctional.

In his speech in Albany, New York Lazio - who had an unsuccessful run for the US Senate in 2000, against then First Lady Hillary Clinton - criticized the state government saying that it "overspends, overtaxes, and over reaches. It is polarized, unresponsive and unaccountable. It has destroyed rather than created jobs."

Claiming that he is the man to bring about a turnaround for the better, Lazio said that New York - which, according to him, has the worst state government in the US - needs a Governor who can "relentlessly" focus on the future.

Lazio said: "New York is at a critical crossroads. If we don't improve government now, we will slide into insolvency."

The first Republican in the governorship race, Lazio is ex-congressman, who represented New York's 2nd District during the period 1993-2001. The other likely candidates, mulling a decision to run the race, include former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and, possibly, Erie County Executive Chris Collins.

Going by the theoretical match-ups, Lazio and the current New York Governor, Democrat David Paterson, are running almost neck-and-neck!