The latest “major endorsement” for Andrew Cuomo is coming from Conservative Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro, who is risking the wrath of his constituents and fellow right-of-center politicos to back the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful.

Molinaro said he believes Cuomo has the “relationships” to govern effectively in Albany, saying the AG will be able to get “concessions” from the veteran Capitol denizens like Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver “like Nixon going to China.”

The BP said his own party’s newly minted standard bearer, Republican Carl Paladino, lacks the experience and temperament to lead the state, predicting there will be “confrontation like you won’t believe,” if he’s elected, and adding: “Government would shut down, I believe.”

“I feel (Cuomo’s) the best hope to reform government,” Molinaro told the Advance’s Tom Wrobleski. “He’s the right person, at the right time, in the right place.”

“…No question, I’m going to take a beating over this. So be it. I have to do what I believe is in the best interest of half a million people here on Staten Island.”

Molinaro, who is a close ally of another Cuomo supporter, Mayor Bloomberg, stressed that he’s still a registered Conservative and has no intention on switching parties any time soon.

Wrobleski likened Molinaro’s move to the 1994 crossing over of then-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani to endorse Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo, in his bid for a fourth term. That led then-GOP Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari to stop speaking to Giuliani for months, Wrobleski recalled.

Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno deemed Giuliani “Judas” for turning his back on the party’s nominee, little-known state Sen. George Pataki, who ended up defeating Mario Cuomo in what was widely attributed more to voters’ rejection of the liberal incumbent than their desire to see a GOP legislator from Peekskill in the executive mansion.

There will be a formal announcement of Molinaro’s endorsement at 11 a.m. at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

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