After years of empty gates and lost flights, the future of New York Stewart International Airport in New Windsor is now a top election issue in the race for Orange County executive.

County Executive Steve Neuhaus, a Republican, says he’s in early talks with the governor’s office and the Port Authority about a plan that would allow Orange County to take control of the struggling airport for 10 years.

Neuhaus tells News 12 those discussions were conversational and not in writing. The Port Authority, however, would not confirm any talks, saying in a statement that it remains committed to expanding air service at Stewart by attracting new airlines and strengthening partnerships with existing carriers.

The governor’s office declined to comment, calling the proposal “hypothetical.”

According to Port Authority data cited in recent reports, Stewart International Airport has seen passenger traffic plummet from nearly 1 million travelers in 2007 to about 277,000 last year — as airlines have scaled back service and international carriers have left the terminal with limited destinations and flights.

Democrat Michael Sussman, who is challenging Neuhaus, says the county executive’s claim of being in talks with state officials is false.

“It’s a joke. It’s politically motivated and it’s absurd,” Sussman told News 12. He says he would work to better market the airport, lower gate fees for airlines, and re-establish key partnerships to boost passenger traffic.

Deb Vreeland, who runs the Facebook group “Bring Back Stewart Airport,” says the community is frustrated and eager for change. “We had JetBlue, American and Delta — and we lost it all in a blink,” she said.

As the race heats up, both candidates are taking aim at each other’s records.

Neuhaus has pointed to Sussman’s one-year suspension from practicing law in 2002, while Sussman says the issue stemmed from a technical escrow violation.

In a written statement, he told News 12, “I never took a dime from any client. I accepted responsibility for a bookkeeping error and moved on. I’ve spent my career fighting for people’s rights, and I’ll continue to do that.”

Sussman, meantime, is accusing Neuhaus of corruption and mismanagement — claims the county executive denies.

“I’m super proud of my record,” says Neuhaus.

Either way, the outcome of next week’s election could determine the direction of Stewart Airport’s future and how leaders plan to revive one of the Hudson Valley’s most underused transportation hubs.