AND MARIO CUMO LED GEORGE PATAKI BY DOUBLE DIGITS IN OCTOBER:

Voters likely to hand GOP big governorship wins (TOM RAUM, 11/01/2010, AP)

The damage may not be as devastating as the party of President Barack Obama had once feared. Democrats have a good shot at claiming governor’s mansions now occupied by Republicans in California, Hawaii, Vermont and Minnesota and holding onto ones in New York, Maryland, Colorado, New Hampshire and Arkansas.

Still, Democrats braced for the loss of no fewer than five governorships — and likely far more. Republicans hoped for a net pickup of up to 12.