ALBANY – In a surprise move, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has accepted an invitation to address the state Conservative Party on Monday, further fueling speculation he may run for governor next year, The Post has learned.
“We’ve never had a Cuomo at one of our events,” said party Chairman Mike Long.
The Conservative Party repeatedly opposed former Gov. Mario Cuomo during his three terms in office and sought to turn the name “Cuomo” into a political epithet.
The stated purpose of Andrew Cuomo’s appearance at the Albany conference is to give the attorney general a forum to present a controversial tax-cutting plan that would allow voters to approve the consolidation of local governments.
The plan is opposed by many Democratic and Republican officials and their allies in the Legislature, because local governments serve as a patronage base and as a source of lucrative contracts.
“This is a good initiative, a good idea, and it’s worth pushing,” Long said. “And I would hope the entire Conservative Party will get behind it, as well as the Legislature.”
The possibility that Cuomo, a tough-talking liberal Democrat, might seek Conservative support for the governor’s race is sure to raise eyebrows.
Long did nothing to knock down that possibility when asked if Conservatives would consider endorsing Cuomo for re-election – or for governor, should he decide to run in a primary against Gov. Patterson and beat him.
“Who knows what next year will bring?” said Long. “I never say ‘never.’ ”
Long said he isn’t sure Cuomo even wants his party’s support.
Cuomo is eyeing a race for governor in the wake of Paterson’s mishandling of the search for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senate successor and the governor’s decline in public-opinion polls.
A spokesman said Cuomo had agreed to speak at the Conservative event because “the attorney general has been trying to reach across the political lines to develop a consensus for the much-needed reform at the local level that he is seeking.”
The spokesman insisted the appearance had nothing to do with Cuomo’s political plans.
Long’s invitation came after Cuomo held a secret meeting with longtime Conservative Party activist George Marlin.
Cuomo has also retained fund-raiser Cathy Blaney, a top GOP rainmaker who worked for former Gov. George Pataki, sources said. She was involved in the fund-raiser he held with ex-Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, another Republican, this week.