March 23 (Bloomberg) -- New York Governor David Paterson’s approval rating plunged more than 10 percentage points in a month as only 14 percent of voters said they would vote for him in 2010, a poll by Siena Research Institute found.

Paterson was viewed favorably by 29 percent of voters in the survey released today, the lowest since he took office a year ago. The rating is down from 40 percent in February, 54 percent in January and 63 percent in December.

“The speed of his falling numbers is staggering,” Steven Greenberg, spokesman for Siena’s New York poll, said in a statement. “The governor should be grateful he does not have to face the voters anytime soon.”

Paterson, a Democrat, became governor in March 2008 after Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a prostitution scandal. Paterson has proposed spending reductions, new or higher fees and taxes and one-time revenue sources to close a record $14.2 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins April 1.

More than half of the voters surveyed by Siena believe the state is headed in the wrong direction, and 60 percent say its fiscal condition is poor.

The governor is viewed unfavorably by 58 percent of voters, his highest unfavorable opinion ever.

In a hypothetical 2010 Democratic primary, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo beats Paterson by 67 percent to 17 percent, compared with 53 percent to 27 percent last month. In a 2010 general election matchup, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani beat Paterson 56 percent to 33 percent, up from 51 percent to 36 percent last month. In December, Paterson led Giuliani 51 percent to 38 percent.

Siena surveyed 626 New York State registered voters March 16-18. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

To contact the reporter on this story: Stacie Servetah in Trenton, New Jersey, at sbabula@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 23, 2009 13:30 EDT