I bumped into Fifth District County Legislator Deb Cody a week or so ago and congratulated the Republican lady on her election night victory over Democrat Bryan Seamans. She held onto her seat despite that fact that Seamans was endorsed by the Syracuse Media Group.

When she’s not representing Mattydale in the legislature, Cody works as director of constituent services for State Sen. John DeFrancisco, who’s got his eyes firmly focused on New York state’s Executive Mansion at 138 Eagle St., in Albany.

Does he stand a chance?

“Does he really think he can win?” I asked her. “He’s an Upstater,” I explained. “He’ll need the support of millions of downstate voters.”

Cody assured me that the senator has the energy, experience and political acumen to take on the increasingly unpopular Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, a native of Queens.

The son of three-term governor Mario Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo first took office in 2011 after winning the 2010 election over right-wing Republican Carl Paladino — an Upstater from Buffalo — drawing more than 56 percent of the statewide vote. Four years later, Cuomo turned back a challenge by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino. That time the incumbent governor drew 54 percent of the vote.

Considered by many Democrats as a future presidential candidate, Cuomo plans to run for re-election as governor next November.

DeFrancisco confident

Anyhow, on Dec. 12, at the CNY Jazz Central Holiday Party hosted down city by Liverpool’s own Larry Luttinger, I bumped into Sen. DeFrancisco himself, and asked the same question of him.

As he travels the state, he said, voters of all stripes tell him they simply want ABC – “Anybody But Cuomo!”

DeFrancisco points out that in 1994 a relatively unknown Peekskill Republican, George Pataki, became governor after beating Andrew’s dad, Mario.

The senator thinks the same thing could happen to the younger Cuomo.

As to the need to attract voters in Manhattan, Long Island, and Westchester and Orange counties, DeFrancisco believes his decades in Albany should pay dividends. 

“I’ve been serving in the state Senate for 25 years now,” said the man who now serves as the Senate’s deputy majority leader. “So I’ve got a lot of friends all over the state.”

He has developed political alliances and friendships with plenty of downstate leaders, he said, influential contacts who would help him win votes in their districts.

Stay tuned…

Paccone’s lucky day

When the progressive “bad beat” was hit at the Turning Stone Casino Poker Room on Monday, Nov. 27, the nine players at the table split an all-time high payout of $507,277, after two men playing a $2 to $4 limit Texas Hold ’Em game each drew four of a kind.

Among the players at the table was Liverpool’s own Eric Paccone. While the Turning Stone declined to confirm the amounts awarded to each player, Paccone is believed to have received a payout of more than $25,000.

Last word

Families N.B.: In an effort to keep the kids happy with hamburger over the holidays, Salt City Dogs (the former Hofmann Hot Haus in Northern Lights Plaza) is offering 50 cents off all its char-grilled burgers through December; (315) 454-4271; saltcitydogs.net.

Contact the columnist at [email protected].