NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly is being courted by a top state Republican to run for mayor next year � and the city�s top cop is open to the idea, sources told The Post.

Kelly, who has come under fire for the NYPD�s stop-and-frisk and Muslim-surveillance policies, could use the City Hall post to continue driving down crime and fighting local terrorism �for another four or eight years,�� said former state GOP Chairman William Powers, who heads the party�s newly created statewide �advisory committee.��

While Kelly isn�t enrolled in a political party, Powers said the state Election Law would make it easy for the longtime commissioner to run as the GOP candidate.

�I will be talking to the county leaders in the city about getting behind Ray Kelly, and I think he could defeat [City Council Speaker Christine] Quinn or one of the other liberal Democrats who are looking to run,� said Powers. �I think he�d get a lot of outer-borough support and the backing of Democrats who have voted for Rudy in the past.�

Powers, who like Kelly is a former Marine, said, �Ray Kelly is a great American and a great leader, and he�s made New York City safe and he�s made America safe.�

Powers said mayoral hopefuls like Quinn are using the media to smear the commissioner over his tough-on-crime policies, �because she doesn�t want to face Kelly in the election next year.��

(Source: NY Post)