Sen. Eric Schneiderman’s campaign just released a harshly-worded statement slamming his AG primary opponent, Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice, in the wake of her formal campaign announcement earlier today.

Schneiderman spokesman Eric Koch, to whom the statement is attributed, draws first blood by referring to the Manhattan senator was a “lifelong progressive Democrat” – a phrase intended to both 1) draw attention to the fact that Rice used to be a Republican, and 2) subtly call into question her claim (made at the DRC straw poll this weekend) that she has the “heart” of a Democrat.

Koch then goes on to question Rice’s “successful prosecutor” argument, seeking to cast her as an old school law-and-order type whose approach is out of step with the sort of left-leaning voters who have traditionally dominated Democratic primaries.

“Eric Schneiderman has worked to reform our criminal justice system with ‘smart on crime’ policies, like changing the Rockefeller Drug Laws and taking effective steps to stem the flow of illegal guns,” Koch said.

“On the other hand, the failed policies of the past used in Nassau County simply have not worked, with crime rates in recent years going up – the same time they were going down in New York City, New York State, and even Suffolk County.”

“During the course of the campaign, we look forward to a spirited debate between innovative smart on crime’ policies that make all New Yorkers safer, and the traditional approach that has not reduced crime.”

A number of Democratic insiders I spoke with in Niagara Falls said they considered Rice and Schneiderman to be the top contenders in the AG’s race at the moment – in spite of the fact that former state Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo won the DRC straw poll.

Rice has a lot going for her, including the presumed support of AG Andrew Cuomo, the fact that she is the lone woman in the race (at the moment), hails from the suburbs and can claim the “outsider” mantle (although if she is backed by most of the party establishment, I’m not sure how long that lasts).

Schneiderman, on the other hand, is the most liberal would-be AG and is seen as likely to land considerable support from black and Latino voters and is strong in his home base of Manhattan, which turns out in a primary.

However, he still has that “Albany taint” problem to deal with, even though he did lead the charge to oust former Sen. Hiram Monserrate.

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