Cynthia Nixon (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Cynthia Nixon has flipped the script on a famous homophobic election campaign – with the slogan “Vote for the homo, not for Cuomo.”

Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon, a long-time LGBT activist, is running for Governor of New York as a left-wing challenger to current Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.

Nixon, who could make history as New York’s first out Governor, ribbed her opponent in a comedic speech at the Legislative Correspondents Association show in Albany.

She told the crowd: “When I first announced that I was running for Governor, a Cuomo surrogate attacked me as an unqualified lesbian, but I wasn’t phased – we went ahead as planned, and released a video calling for legalising marijuana. It’s like Michelle Obama said, when they go low, we get high.”

Joking about the Governor’s attempts to appeal to liberals in the race, she said: “Cuomo thinks that I should stick to acting, but after seeing him try to play the part of a progressive, I think he should stick to politics.

“His performance as a progressive has not been very convincing of late. You might say he’s an unqualified thespian.”

She also referenced a notoriously homophobic campaign linked to Cuomo.

Cuomo was managing his father Mario Cuomo’s challenge to New York City Mayor Ed Koch in 1977 when a smear campaign was launched bearing the slogan ‘Vote for Cuomo, not for the homo’. The Cuomo campaign denied responsibility at the time.

Recalling the scandal, Nixon joked: “Andrew Cuomo is known for dirty politics, but I have to give credit where it’s due, his history of cutthroat campaigns helped inspire my campaign’s new slogan, ‘Vote for the homo, not for Cuomo’.”

She added: “When my wife and I… started dating in 2004 I wasn’t sure how people were going to react. Would it affect my career negatively? What was the best way to let people know, and when? I was worried about it.

“But after some agonising, I just came out, and it turned out to be fine and not such a big deal at all. It’s not healthy when you feel like you have to hide who you are, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. And that’s why tonight I think it’s time for Andrew Cuomo to come out as a Republican.

“The rumours have been out there for years, he’s not fooling anyone. Who knows why he stayed in the closet this long? Maybe he thought it would hurt his career, maybe he was afraid of disappointing his father.

“It must not be easy growing up feeling like you’re different from everyone else, so on behalf of someone who has been there, I just want to say Andrew, it’s okay to come out and live openly as you are. Your donors won’t love you any less.”