Multiple GOP sources confirm that gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio is poised to change his campaign manager, Kevin Fullington, and replace him with Matt Walter, who is currently holding down the post of director of strategic planning at the state GOP.

Lazio’s campaign has been faltering for some time, and failed to receive a bounce – either in the polls or in fundraising – after he successfully blocked Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy from getting on the ballot at the state convention in June.

Now a growing number of Republicans privately expressing concern that the GOP/Conservative designee is in danger of losing a September primary for Row B to self-funding businessman Carl Paladino.

According to my sources, there has been a growing rift in the Lazio camp for some time, with internal divisions over the best strategy for moving the candidate out of the political doldrums.

Veteran political strategist Arthur Finkelstein, who is one of Lazio’s top-paid consultants (and there are a number of them), wants to stay the course, according to my sources.

Others are arguing in favor of a more aggressive approach in hopes of gaining back ground from Paladino, who is gaining on Lazio, as was exhibited in today’s Q poll.

Walter came out of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno’s shop and went to work for the state party when Bruno’s ally, Nassau County GOP Chairman Joe Mondello, took over.

Walter eventually rose to the position of executive director, but was bounced from that post by Tom Basile when Ed Cox beat the GOP establishment candidate, former Niagara County GOP Chairman Henry Wojtaszek, to take control of the state party. Cox kept Walter on, but he has been largely sidelined.

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