Cuomo gets clergy endorsement, predicts Democrats will win control of NY Senate

WEST HAVERSTRAW -- Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo harshly criticized his Republican opponent Sunday, picked up endorsements from African-American clergy and predicted the Democrats will take control of the State Senate as the final weekend of the campaign drew to a close.

An underlying story of the campaign has been Cuomo's use of a $45 million war chest to aggressively attack Republican Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive, with television ads. Through the last few days of the campaign, Cuomo and allies continued to criticize Astorino over a federal housing lawsuit filed against Westchester even though it was against Astorino's predecessor, a Democrat with ties to Cuomo.

Astorino has said President Barack Obama's administration is playing politics with the lawsuit, delaying any answer to the county's response to drag out the matter.

Ten African-American clergymen joined Cuomo Sunday.

"Is he being attacked for his values? You could say that. He is being discriminating," Cuomo said of Astorino, using a theme he hammered at the candidates' lone debate.

The lawsuit accuses Westchester of being out of compliance with fair housing laws and an order to build more subsidized housing in certain neighborhoods.

"This election, we can also send a message to Rob Astorino that his refusal to enforce anti-discrimination laws has no place in New York State," said the Rev. DeQuincy Hentz of the Shiloh Baptist Church in New Rochelle -- where Astorino attended services Sunday.

Cuomo has attended services at African-American churches several times over the last month of the campaign. He upset many 12 years ago when he challenged Carl McCall, an African-American who was then state comptroller, in a Democratic gubernatorial primary and then during his first year as governor when his "urban agenda" got off to a slow start.

Astorino has an African-American running mate, Chemung County Sheriff Christopher Moss, who struck back at Democrats last week by saying Cuomo stood in the way of black candidates, including McCall and former Gov. David A. Paterson.

Cuomo has focused on turnout. He has a 20-point-plus lead over Astorino in most polls, but some Democrats have talked about an "enthusiasm gap."

Cuomo was criticized by Democrats and liberals over the past two years for supporting a coalition of 29 Republicans and six breakaway Democrats to control the Senate.

Still, the governor predicted the party will win the Senate.

"Anything can happen, but I believe the Democrats are going to win the State Senate," Cuomo told reporters. "But people have to turn out."