Newly-former state Senate candidate Dan Padernacht insists he came to the decision to drop his primary challenge to Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. and endorse Gustavo Rivera on his own and received no promises in return from party leaders. But he admits state Democratic Party Executive Director Charlie King influenced his decision.

Padernacht said he reached out to King after sitting down with his family and coming to conclusion that while “our hearts wanted to keep fighting,” the race was simply “too close” for his comfort to risk his ongoing candidacy would provide Espada with a path to victory.

“Charlie was in the same position a couple of times and I knew he would have a good perspective,” Padernacht told me.

“We talked about how difficult it is to withdraw at this point…He told me, ‘A lot of people will really want you to stay in, close friends and family, but a month later, they’ll be saying you made the right decision.’”

King has run three unsuccessful statewide campaigns – twice for LG (1998 and 2002) and once for AG (2006).

In 1998, King finished second in the Democratic primary behind Brighton Town Supervisor Sandra Frankel.

In 2002, he was Andrew Cuomo’s running mate in a long-shot primary challenge to the party gubernatorial favorite, then-state Comptroller H. Carl McCall, and his No. 2, Dennis Mehiel. Cuomo and King quit the race with just one week left in the primary campaign.

In 2006, King also bowed out prior to the primary, throwing his support behind Cuomo for AG.

Padernacht met in July with King, SEIU-1199 political director Kevin Finnegan, and NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio – a get-together organized by Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz in hopes of convincing Padernacht to recognize the momentum was headed in Rivera’s direction and he should drop out. He refused.

This time, there were many phone calls, but no meetings. Padernacht said he’s going to go back to focusing on community board issues, and might run for something else in the future. He insisted there was no quid-pro-quo offer of support for his future political endeavors in return for his agreement to take a pass now.

“No. No. Definitely not,” Padernacht told me. “I’m looking at this eight days out, and I think it’s the best thing to do for the district and the state.”

There will be a City Hall press conference tomorrow at which Padernacht will formally announce his support of Rivera. and received the collective “good job for unity” praises from the Democratic powers that be.

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