ALBANY – Gov. Cuomo is calling a hike in the state’s minimum wage pretty much mission impossible in this state legislative election year.

“I don’t think it’s possible,” he said today when asked about the issue on upstate’s Capitol Pressroom radio show, citing what he called a strong, “heartfelt position in opposition” by the state Senate’s Republican majority.

“We hope for the ideal and we live in the real.”

The chief proponent of an increase, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver of Manhattan, called fellow Democrat Cuomo a “great governor. I’m not sure he’s a great prognosticator.”

Silver cited 78 percent support for an increase in a recent poll and said he thinks Republican senators facing re-election will come around.

If not, Mayor Bloomberg said he would be “disappointed.”

Cuomo says he supports increasing the minimum wage in concept but has not taken a position on Silver’s bill to hike the $7.25 per hour federal rate to $8.50 next year with annual indexing for inflation.