Metro

Syracuse mayor may challenge Cuomo in primary

Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner huddled with Democratic Party activists Tuesday as she weighs a primary challenge to Gov. Cuomo’s re-election bid next year, sources told The Post.

Miner met in Albany with members of the left-leaning New York Progressive Action Network — self described “Berniecrats” who backed Bernie Sanders presidential campaign last year and are seeking an alternative to Cuomo.

Miner and the activists discussed economic development, mass transit, education funding and electoral reform, among other issues.

“She spoke about the misuse of economic development funds under Cuomo,” said attendee Arthur Schwartz, a Manhattan leader of NYPAN,.
“We talked about mass transit. Everyone knows it’s been a problem in New York City under Cuomo. It’s created an opening.”

Schwartz said Miner was impressive and would be a “great candidate.”

Miner, who is completing her second term as mayor, is still weighing whether to challenge Cuomo, who has repeatedly said he intends to run for a third-term.

A source close to Miner confirmed the meeting, which she attended at NYPAN’s invitation.

Challenging incumbent Cuomo in a Democratic primary would be a difficult task. He has a $26 million war chest.

And a Siena College poll released earlier this month found that 69 percent of Democrats have a favorable view of Cuomo, as do 71 percent of liberals.

She might even have a tough fight in her own back yard. A Spectrum/Siena poll released last month polled Democrats in Syracuse about a hypothetical Cuomo-Miner match-up — and 47 percent said they would pick Cuomo in a primary compared to 38 percent for Miner.

Cuomo tapped Miner to served as co-chair of the state Democratic Party but left the post after she criticized some of the governor’s budget policies.

Cuomo faced and won a primary in 2018, when little-known and underfunded Fordham U. professor Zephyr Teachout took about one-thjrd of the vote.

Since then, he has tacked to the left on some issues. He banned fracking, boosted the minimum wage and approved a family leave and a implemented a program for free tuition for students from middle income families attending public college.

The Cuomo camp was not concerned.

“Miner must have gone to Albany to check out the foliage. The governor has an outstanding record on everything she believes in,” said one Cuomo ally.