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Former Mayor Bill de Blasio has been given hope of a political next step thanks to the gerrymandering plan by state Democrats, sources tell The Post.
Sources said de Blasio has been making calls about a Democratic primary challenge against ex-congressman Max Rose, who’s seeking a rematch of the 2020 race he lost to US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island, Brooklyn).
And the Democratic legislators who redrew the 11th congressional district seat to help squeeze out Malliotakis are now furious de Blasio, who was unable to mount a bid for governor, is now eyeing it as a fresh opportunity.
“The Democratic Party is not happy about this. The last thing they want is a primary race where money is wasted and there is mudslinging,” a source familiar with the situation said Wednesday.
“However, no one is surprised because de Blasio never listens to anyone.”
Malliotakis’ district, which covers traditionally Republican Staten Island and part of southern Brooklyn, is set to be redrawn to include the heavily Democratic Brooklyn neighborhoods of Sunset Park, Gowanus and Park Slope, where de Blasio lives.
The plan by Democrats in the state Legislature could be approved and signed into law by Gov. Hochul as early as Wednesday night.
In an email blast to supporters Tuesday evening, Rose, having heard the rumors, took several shots at the ex-mayor, including a subject line that said, “De Blasio running against me (swear this isn’t a joke).”
“Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has never been my biggest fan, but now he might be my primary opponent,” Rose wrote. “I know, I laughed at first too, but the implications aren’t funny.”
During his 2020 congressional campaign, Rose released digital ads bashing de Blasio, who’s widely reviled on Staten Island.
“Bill de Blasio is the worst mayor in the history of New York City,” Rose said in one six-second spot.
“That’s the whole ad.”
A longer, 15-second version featured Rose repeating his accusation, then chuckling and saying, “That’s it, guys. Seriously. That’s the whole ad.”
Malliotakis — who lost the 2017 mayoral race to de Blasio but captured 70 percent of Staten Island vote — also raised the specter of de Blasio running for Congress in a tweet Tuesday night.
“Malliotakis-de Blasio rematch??” she wrote.
“Democrat leadership, in their desperate attempt to cancel me and silence our voice in Congress, are redrawing our district to connect #StatenIsland to Park Slope, creating an opportunity for the disastrous mayor to run against me this November!”
De Blasio, who recently abandoned a run for governor that he hinted at before being forced out of office by term limits on Dec. 31, didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
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