After months of speculation, Steve Levy says he's ready to become a Republican and will formally launch his campaign for Governor Friday. Our Josh Robin has more on Levy's change of heart and the uphill campaign battle he faces.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

Problem now is he is a fellow republican, or at least soon-to-be one. To run for Governor, Steve Levy is throwing out his Democratic registration. Gone with it, some say, are hopes for a united Republican front to beat vulnerable Democrats.

"I'm one of these elected officials, or candidates as you might say, where I don't have to be looking at the other guys. I have so much to run on myself," said Steve Levy.

The Suffolk County executive has the state GOP boss behind him, though not the Conservative Party history shows he'll need. But the move is alarming Republicans who hoped their party could crest the anti-incumbent wave.

"There's a disenfranchised electorate out there who wants a change. And so what all Republicans should be doing is focusing all their efforts on making sure to effectuate that change by rallying behind a single candidate," said Jonathan Greenspun, a republican consultant.

That's not in sight. Levy hadn't even changed registration and the barbs flew.

Here's Lazio on Levy.

"Somebody who's been a Democrat for his whole life, has supported Eliot Spitzer and Shelly Silver and Nancy Pelosi," Lazio said.

And Levy on Lazio?

"An individual who has taken $1.3 million in a bonus for yourself personally from a Wall Street firm that has taken TARP stimulus money," Levy said.

To democrats, Levy may be a turncoat, but his defection also offers benefits, like bloodying up the republicans before November's election. Andrew Cuomo once faced his own primary.

"I wish them all well. It is America. It is a Democracy," said cuomo.

John Faso, the Republican nominee who lost handily last time, doesn't mind.

"It's too early to talk about a primary, but I do think republicans should be happy that a elected official from a big county, like Suffolk County, the largest county government in New York state is switching parties," Faso said.

While also way too early to discount Republicans' chances November, the added competition will require a new strategy. There's even talk of more Republicans entering the governor's race.