If Trump wins, Cuomo/Dems could be out

By Fredric U. Dicker

Donald Trump’s fired-up New York backers predict that a victory by him in November would set the stage for defeating Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018 — and lead to the ouster of their own GOP leader next year.

They also predict that if the Manhattan developer becomes president, he’d work from the White House to turn New York away from the anti-business, tax-and-spend, “progressive’’ Democratic politicians, including Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who now dominate City Hall and the state Capitol.

The Trump supporters, who lost out Friday in an effort to convince state GOP Chairman Ed Cox to endorse him before New York’s April 19 primary, told The Post that what one called “our rapidly growing organization’’ will lay the foundation for an anti-Cuomo effort in two years.

“A strong showing by Trump in upstate and on Long Island will be a clear indication that we can defeat Cuomo in 2018 and, if we have a President Trump in the White House, we’ll be even stronger,’’ said Tom Dadey, the Onondaga County (Syracuse) GOP chairman.

A GOP strategist was more emphatic, saying, “Trump knows New York politics well and the damage the Democrats have done here, and you can bet he’ll do something about that with the power of the White House.’’

Several Trump backers told The Post that if their candidate wins in November, one of their first moves would be to oust Cox, who has been repeatedly criticized by Trump.

“Cox is weak and ineffectual, everyone knows that, and if Trump is elected, that’ll be the end of him,’’ said the strategist.

Originally published by the NY Post