Buffalo developer Carl P. Paladino acknowledged Thursday that if he succeeds in establishing a Taxpayers Party in his race for governor, his name will appear on the new line in the general election regardless of how he does in the Republican primary.

Paladino clarified remarks he made Wednesday to the New York City cable television station NY1 by indicating that he would not actively campaign for governor if fails to win the Republican line, even if he would have a separate line.

Michael R. Caputo, Paladino’s campaign manager, said that in such a scenario, Paladino would continue to work for other candidates who are now circulating petitions and are planning to appear on the Taxpayers Party line. But Caputo said the candidate simply underscored his long-set plans and acknowledged the daunting odds of winning on a new minor party line alone.

Paladino allies helping him form the Taxpayers Party line say they are not upset by the businessman’s remarks.

“We’ve been saying it from the very beginning of trying to start a third-party line that Carl would not run as an independent candidate and be a spoiler,” said Rus Thompson, a local “tea party” leader who is a paid campaign adviser to Paladino.

Thompson said Paladino has made clear for months that if he lost the GOP primary in September, he would not actively run on the new party line.

“I am so absolutely, 99 percent positive that Carl’s going to win the primary that I’m not going to think about it,” said Thompson, who is trying to run as a state comptroller candidate on a Taxpayers Party line.

While it may seem to undermine Paladino’s petition-gathering effort, Thompson insisted that Paladino’s vow to not run solely on a minor line will actually help create the new party.

“So many people were afraid of Carl just running on the independent line,” Thompson said of what could be a split of Republican votes and an easier path to victory by Democratic nominee Andrew M. Cuomo.

“I guess we weren’t clear enough, but if anything, this will help with the petitions, knowing that if Carl loses the primary, he’s not going to run as a third-party candidate.”

rmccarthy@buffnews.com and tprecious@buffnews.comnull