The latest Siena College poll shows former Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Republican, gaining ground in the race for attorney general.

Democratic challenger Andrew Cuomo still leads Pirro by a margin of 50 percent to 35 percent, but says she?s optimistic that she can pull off a win. Pirro has filled her campaign coffer with $2.7 million, which is more than those of Cuomo and Democratic candidate Mark Green, combined.

Pirro recently launched an upstate ad campaign that both introduces her to constituents and questions Cuomo?s credentials. However, Pirro still has major hurdles to leap. Her husband spent time in jail after being convicted of tax evasion and was recently ticketed for driving 98 miles per hour, a charge he is pleading not guilty to.