State GOP: Beware of the bogey-mayor

Embattled Republicans fighting to maintain control of the divided state Senate are using a notso-secret weapon to scare voters into keeping the party in charge — Mayor de Blasio.

GOP campaign mailers have already been sent to voters in three key suburban and upstate districts seeking to link Democratic candidates to liberal bogeyman de Blasio. Their claim: If Democrats control the Senate, Assembly and the governorship, de Blasio and Big Apple progressives will set the policy agenda at the expense of suburbanites and upstaters.

In Long Island’s 8th District, covering Oyster Bay and Amityville, a GOP mailer (right) shows a picture of firstterm incumbent John Brooks transposed behind an imposing snapshot of de Blasio with the headline: “John Brooks promised to be a moderate senator for us. Instead, he aligned himself with the New York City radical left.”

Brooks is facing a challenge from Republican Massapequa Park Mayor Jeff Pravato.

De Blasio’s face also pops up in mailers for an open seat in the 39th District, which includes Rockland and Orange county suburbs. Democratic Assemblyman James Skoufis faces GOP Stony Point Councilman Tom Basile following the retirement of veteran Republican state Sen. Bill Larkin.

“Bill de Blasio, James Skoufis and the NYC liberals want to take total control of state government,” the mailer says just above pictures of a laughing de Blasio, a chuckling Gov. Cuomo and a smiling Skoufis.

Hizzoner’s mug even appears in a literature drop farther north in the Syracuse region in New York’s 50th District, where Republican Onondaga County Comptroller Robert Antonacci faces Democrat John Mannion, a high-school biology teacher, following the retirement of GOP Sen. John DeFrancisco.

A pro-Antonacci mailer shows a head shot of a giddy de Blasio next to a quote from the mayor: “If there is a Democratic Majority in the State Senate . . . that’s undoubtedly good for the people of New York City.”

Democrats say the desperate anti-de Blasio gambit won’t work.

“It wouldn’t take much intelligence to realize the party of Trump should stay away from employing guilt by association tactics,” said Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy.

Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif defended the mailers, saying, “Bill de Blasio makes our case for us. He’s deeply unpopular in the suburbs.”

The 63-seat Senate now has 31 Republicans and 32 Democrats. But one conservative Democrat, Brooklyn’s Simcha Felder, caucuses with Republicans, giving the GOP a one-seat majority.

The mayor’s office was dubious of the mailers, too.

“Under Bill de Blasio, New York City crime is at a record low, there are more jobs than at any point in the city’s history, and the high school graduation rate is the highest it’s ever been,” said mayoral spokesman Eric Phillips. I’m sure these mailers will highlights these successes.”