Federal authorities postponed embattled Bronx State Senator Efrain Gonzalez’s trial for corruption and fraud charges until Oct. 6, a month after this year’s state Democratic primary election, setting up what could be a showdown with another local politician with a checkered past.    

Gonzalez stands accused of bilking more than $400,000 in taxpayer money for his own personal use.

Originally, Gonzalez’s trial was slated to begin May 28, but the trial was pushed back to October because one of the senator’s co-defendant’s lawyers underwent triple-bypass heart surgery, according to Gonzalez’s lawyer Murray Richman. (The U.S. District Attorney’s office, which is handling the case, wouldn’t comment on the health issue and didn’t give a reason why the trial was postponed.)

This reprieve allows Gonzalez to ramp up his campaign against possible Democratic or Republican challengers, including former State Senator Pedro Espada, who has pledged allegiance to both parties at different times in his career. Last year, Espada established residency in Bedford Park, fueling speculation that he would challenge Gonzalez for his seat, especially if the senator were convicted before the election.

Now, it looks like Gonzalez’s trial will not conclude until after the Nov. 4 general election. If he were to be convicted after winning the election, Gonzalez would be removed from office and a special election would be called.

Gonzalez’s chief of staff, Miguel Ponce, said he’s heard the rumors about Espada running and that he’s received mailings for free mammograms from Espada out of a Webster Avenue address (Espada also heads the Soundview chain of health clinics), but it doesn’t concern him.

“You always hear rumors about this guy or that guy,” Ponce said. “It doesn’t matter. We’re preparing as if we were running against the President of the United States.”

Ponce acknowledged that fund-raising was down because of trial speculation, leaving him somewhat vulnerable to a challenge from someone like Espada, who avoided corruption charges himself just a few years ago. “He’s proven he can raise cash and anybody who can raise cash is formidable.”

Aside from the money, Ponce said the indictment wouldn’t matter much to voters who overwhelmingly re-elected him in 2006 under the cloud of scandal.

Others, including Gary Axelbank, host of the political talk show Bronx Talk, said he’s also heard the Espada rumors and isn’t encouraged by them. “Let me say that, in general, this is a wholly disenfranchised electorate,” Axelbank said. “People are sick and tired of reading about indictments, back-room deals,” and other stories of political scandal and ineffectiveness.

“Pedro Espada comes to the district with his own baggage, too, not to mention that he moved in [to Gonzalez’s 33rd District] to run,” Axelbank said. “Not the best way to make people confident in his ability to represent their particular interests.”

Espada, who is also rumored to be considering a run at the Bronx borough presidency, could not be reach for comment. Gonzalez did not return phone calls requesting comment.