N.Y. governor says he’ll stay as long as voters want him

The infighting and the recent rumormongering have further fractured state Democrats and added an edge to the national party’s struggle to maintain ground.

Facing challenges from coast to coast amid voter frustration with incumbents of both parties, Democrats in particular are girding for losses that could see states’ chief executives go into Republican hands. New York, a traditionally Democratic-leaning state, would be a devastating blow to a party that in 2008 saw a landslide amid President Obama’s election.

Paterson appeared to take heart from an interview earlier in the day with The New York Times, which had been widely anticipated to be preparing a story dealing with his personal conduct. He said that in the interview he was not asked about drug use in the governor’s mansion or partying with women.

“The only way I’m not going to be governor next year is at the ballot box, and the only way that I will be leaving the office before is in a box,’’ Paterson said during a news conference.

Paterson had decried the allegations Monday.

“Obviously we are not responsible for what other news organizations are reporting,’’ said Times spokeswoman Diane C. McNulty. “It’s not coming from the Times.’’

Paterson’s chief of staff is seeking an internal inquiry into how the Times’ reporting of a story led to unproven rumors of personal misconduct by Paterson.

Paterson Chief of Staff Lawrence Schwartz released a letter late yesterday that he sent to Clark Hoyt, the public editor of the Times. In the letter, Schwartz blames the newspaper for failing to stem the rumors, even after direct appeals.

Schwartz says the newspaper could have issued a statement to end the unsubstantiated rumors that Paterson partied with women and drugs as governor.

Paterson attributed the rumors to news outlets and blogs other than the Times. He said that three sources contacted reporters at the start of Sunday’s Super Bowl to leak word that he was about to resign, which he said he never contemplated.

“It seems to be somewhat orchestrated,’’ Paterson said yesterday of the rumors, on whose source he has declined to publicly speculate.