Fredric U. Dicker, New York Post
- Prominent African-American and Hispanic Democrats may soon endorse Attorney General Andrew Cuomo — and not incumbent Gov. Paterson — in the race for governor, The Post has learned.
“A lot of black and Hispanic legislators are saying privately they’ve had it with Paterson, especially after the Senate breakdown, and they want to go with Cuomo,” said a prominent Democratic lawmaker, referring to the Senate stalemate that has pitted the governor against members of his own party.
At least one minority lawmaker called Cuomo within the last two weeks offering his support, but was told by the attorney general that such a move was premature, sources said.
An endorsement of Cuomo by a prominent minority Democrat would be a startling rebuff to Paterson, who took office as the state’s first black governor in March 2008.
A half-dozen recent public opinion polls have shown Cuomo trouncing Paterson by as many as 50 percentage points among Democrats. Cuomo was also easily beating Paterson among black and Hispanic voters in the polls.
