Quinn regrets ‘unqualified lesbian’ slap

ALBANY — Former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn on Tuesday apologized for calling Cynthia Nixon an “unqualified lesbian” while dismissing her run for governor.

“My point was never to say her sexual orientation — or anybody’s — is a negative when they’re running for office,” said Quinn, who like Nixon is a lesbian. “I’ve tried to change that perception my entire professional life and have suffered the impact of people believing that.”

Quinn (photo), a Cuomo ally and his handpicked vice chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, reportedly said that even though she was a “qualified lesbian” when she ran for mayor in 2013, Nixon endorsed Mayor de Blasio in the primary.

“Now she wants to be an unqualified lesbian to be the governor of New York,” Quinn reportedly said.

But shortly after the comments became public, Quinn told the Daily News that’s not what she meant.

“My point was to draw a similarity between the two of us and to draw a clear contrast as it relates to her being completely unqualified to be the governor of the state of New York,” she said.

“I stand by my belief that she is unqualified to be the governor of New York, but sincerely apologize for the impression my comment clearly delivered.”

Meanwhile, a liberal Hudson Valley congressman called Nixon’s run a “fight about nothing” and a “waste of time and energy” when the party should be unifying to fight President Trump and try to win back Congress.

“I can’t think of a worse time to pick some holier-than-thou contest with a guy who has a great progressive record. It just makes no sense to me,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who is also gay.