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War-hero GOP candidate hits back at Democrats who called him a ‘coward’

WASHINGTON — They picked the wrong guy to call a “coward.”

Republicans blasted back at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Thursday after it labeled the Republican state senator challenging Rep. Tim Bishop (D-LI) as a “coward” who’s too “scared” to take a position on a controversial budget issue.

The only problem? State Sen. Lee Zeldin was deployed to Iraq as a member of the storied 82nd Airborne Division in 2006.

“I don’t take too kindly to having my character attacked like this,” Zeldin told The Post. “I have dedicated half my life to military service. It’s been an honor to wear our nation’s uniform.”

Zeldin served as a JAG officer prosecuting cases when he was deployed — before the US troop surge — and says his commander ordered all members of the unit to take part in dangerous missions.

“It was a pretty hairy time throughout the entire country,” he recalled. “Whenever you leave the base, there is a certain security you are well aware is not there.”

Republicans ripped Democrats’ verbal attacks on war veterans who served their country.

“Not only does that classless ­insult show a complete lack of ­respect for combat veterans and the brethren of 82nd Airborne paratroopers, but it demonstrates an ignorance of the basic American history,” said Ian Prior, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Democrats went after Zeldin, who is running in the June ­Republican primary, for not saying how he would vote on the House Republican budget, developed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), which includes steep cuts in ­social programs.

Dems even produced a photo composite of Zeldin decked out in the Cowardly Lion suit from “The Wizard of Oz.”

“Over a month after his House Republicans passed Paul Ryan’s reckless budget, congressional candidate Lee Zeldin is still too scared to admit how he would vote for the plan, even though he wants Long Islanders to send him to Congress,” Democrats said in a Web release.

“Even though every member of Congress had no choice but to vote yes or no weeks ago, what’s taking him so long to decide? There’s only one answer: Zeldin is either woefully uninformed, willfully ignorant or a coward.”

Zeldin faces a primary next month against wealthy former ­Securities and Exchange prosecutor George Demos.

Asked about blowback from the “coward” attack, Marc Brumer of the DCCC responded: “Why won’t Zeldin admit where he stands on the Ryan budget?”

Asked point-blank whether he’d back the Ryan budget, Zeldin demurred: “I’m not going to play along with their games and I’m going to continue to challenge our congressman if he is ready to have this debate about how to balance our budget.

“I don’t know if there’s ever been a budget that anyone has been 100 percent happy with,” he added.

It’s not the only race where the House GOP is deploying war medals earned by decorated candidates to fend off attacks.

An NRCC e-mail contains images of military medals awarded to upstate Rep. Chris Gibson as it shoots back at Dem opponent Sean Eldridge for labeling Gibson a “typical politician” for his votes on abortion and the environment.