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Republicans are planning to attack their Democratic opponents over New York’s effort to force Massapequa to drop its Chiefs mascot as part of a ban on Native-American imagery in school

logos. The GOP sees the mascot controversy as another example of Democratic-run Albany pushing fringe issues, and wants them to pay a political price for it. “We have a lot of chiefs in

volunteer fire departments in New York,” said John McLaughlin, a pollster for New York Republicans and President President Trump — also known as the commander-in-chief. “Hochul and the

Democrats should focus on improving reading and math and not indoctrinating our students,” he said. McLaughlin noted that Hochul is already unpopular on Long Island — she has a 55%

unfavorable rating in the New York suburbs compared to 36% favorable in a recent Siena College poll. She is up for reelection next year. EXPLORE MORE The comments come after US Secretary of

Education Linda McMahon visited Massapequa on Friday and threatened to bring a civil rights case against the Empire State for forcing the high school to ditch its mascot. The event was

coordinated by Nassau County Executive and Trump pal Bruce Blakeman, who is up for re-election this fall. “Denigrating whole communities like Massapequa and Wantagh is not a good look for

Governor Hochul, who seems hell bent on making as many enemies as she can on Long Island,” Blakeman, who also is also eying a run for governor next year, told The Post Sunday. Blakeman’s

Democratic opponent for county executive, Seth Koslow said, “School pride matters, but it’s hard to believe this is the top concern of the federal government right now.” The New York Board

of Regents’ and state Education ordered schools to ban Native American mascots back in 2023. The members of the education policy-making board are appointed by the Democratic-controlled state

legislature. The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee is using the controversy to tar Democratic incumbents up for re-election next year on Long Island and elsewhere,

including Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen. “It’s another day that ends in “y,” so obviously Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen’s Democrat Party is more concerned with demonizing a high school

mascot than lowering taxes and costs for Long Island families,” said NRCC spokeswoman Maurenn O’Toole. “Democrats are completely missing the plot, and voters will hold Suozzi and Gillen

accountable for their utterly foolish, destructive, and out of touch agenda next fall.” But Suozzi told The Post Sunday, “I support the Massapequa Chiefs.” Suozzi said Republicans are

engaging in cheap politics to change the subject. “This is nonsense, and just another distraction from national Republicans. Congressman Suozzi supports the Massapequa Chiefs, but not the

petty partisan politics that people can’t stand,” said Suozzi senior campaign adviser Kim Devlin. “National Republicans should spend their time reducing prices, negotiating a bipartisan fix

on immigration, lowering their own proposed record-breaking deficits, and protecting people’s healthcare—not cutting it. Congressman Suozzi has always stood with our communities, and no

amount of desperate distortion will change that.” Rep. Gillen also said Albany officials should lay off the Massapequa chiefs. “Congresswoman Gillen believes that school districts should be

the ones to decide their mascots and logos, not state or federal bureaucrats,” a Gillen spokesperson said. “She is far more worried about the actual issues Long Islanders care about:

preserving the middle class, the skyrocketing cost of living and our national security. We should be working in a bipartisan fashion to address those things.” State Democratic Party chairman

Jay Jacobs, a close ally of Hochul who also is the Nassau County Democratic leader, said Trump and the GOP are trying to deflect from their unpopular policies in DC by focusing on mascots.

“This is a Republican distraction. The Democrats have not made this an issue,” Jacobs insisted. “The Republicans are trying to distract from all the damage they’re doing in Washington. They

want to talk about mascots instead of tariffs, cuts to Medicaid, SNAP benefits and education programs,” Jacobs said. “This is what Republicans do every election — they try to scare and anger

people.” Hochul, through a rep, sought to distance herself from the mascot controversy. “The decision being discussed was made by the independent State Education Department, which is not

under our Administration’s jurisdiction,” said Hochul spokesman Gordon Tepper. “While Secretary McMahon focuses on WWE-style distractions, Governor Hochul is focused on what matters: fully

funding Long Island’s public schools and making sure every kid gets a high-quality education.” Last year, Trump and the GOP successfully slammed Democrats for supporting the unpopular policy

of allowing transgender athletes to compete against biological females in sports. Republicans said they are pleasantly surprised — even baffled — at state officials going after local school

districts on Long Island, of all places. Numerous Long Island towns have native American names — honoring tribal history — Massapequa, Wyandanch, Manhasset, Mineola, Quogue, Amagansett,

Patchogue, Hauppauge, Patchogue, among others.