Reelectionist Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is the frontrunner in the gubernatorial race in New York state, maintaining a big lead in fundraising and surveys. He also enjoys the backing of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"There is no doubt the governor is the right leader at the right time with the right plan," Huffington Post quoted Clinton's talk at the Thursday morning rally in Manhattan attended by Cuomo and his running mate for lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul.

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Majority of the attendees at the political rally were females who belong to the Women's Equality Party established by Cuomo. The former first lady, in backing Cuomo, cited his accomplishments as incumbent governor, including his push for marriage equality, gun control and defense of abortion rights.

Although Cuomo, a longtime political ally of the Clintons since Bill's presidential stint, is also considered by the Democrats as a possible presidential candidate, political observers believe he would support Hillary Clinton if she decides to run.

While Rob Astorino, the Republican challenger, hit Cuomo for alleged corruption during their Wednesday debate in Buffalo, political experts believe that the governor kept his safe lead by counter accusing his rival of discriminating against minorities by opposing the federal government's housing desegregation settlement.

Cuomo insisted that New York became stronger, better, safer and more progressive under his stewardship, turning around the state's struggling economy and dysfunctional government.

He accused Astorino of financial mismanagement and causing property taxes in Westchester to go up, making the county the highest taxed in the United States, the New York Times reports.

Among the topics the two candidates debated on was hydraulic fracking, which Astorino favored as a method of extracting natural gas. However, at the same time, Astorino signed a bill that prohibited wastewater from fracking being treated or used to de-ice roads in Westchester where his rival is a county executive.

Steven Greenberg, a Siena pollster, thought that the 60-minute debate did not give Astorino enough time to destroy Cuomo's lead.

Astorino, who appealed for more donations on Wednesday, said the next day that contributions grew overnight. While he did not disclose specific amounts, the candidate said it would allow him to have more media buys in the last two weeks of the campaign.

Clinton told women voters that it would be in their interest to vote for Cuomo.

"Let's not kid ourselves. We have not achieved equality," New York Observer quoted Clinton as saying. "We have not yet seen the kind of progress on all of the issues that will ripple from this ballroom out to every woman and girl in New York and beyond."

TagsAndrew Cuomo, midterm election, U.S. election, gubernatorial race, Hillary Clinton