Metro

Back-from-dead Libs look to back GOPer for mayor

Sidelined for nearly a decade, the state’s once-influential Liberal Party is considering endorsing Republican Joe Lhota or John Catsimatidis for mayor — and securing a ballot line for its candidate in the fall election.

The Liberal Party line was crucial in helping elect Republicans, including Rudy Giuliani, to City Hall. Such a “fusion” campaign could help persuade loyal Democrats — who are loathe to vote for a candidate under the Republican Party column — to do so under the Liberal Party banner.

But the Liberals lost their automatic ballot status in 2002, when its candidate for governor, Democrat Andrew Cuomo, failed to get the needed 50,000 votes after he pulled out of the primary.

Under new rules, the party and the candidate would need to collect 3,750 valid city voter signatures to qualify for a separate ballot line.

“We’re certainly entertaining this. Lhota was a member of the Giuliani administration,” said Liberal Party Executive Director Martin Hassner.

Hassner said the party has had preliminary conversations with both Lhota and Catsimatidis as well as former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, who is running on the Independence Party line.

Both Lhota, the former MTA chairman, and supermarket mogul Catsimatidis confirmed they are eyeing a GOP-Liberal ticket.