The Tuesday decision by the party’s powerful chairman, Mike Long, is also a product of the tough working relationship he’s had so far with New York GOP chairman Ed Cox since the son-in-law of Richard Nixon was elected to his post last September.

Long’s convention is now on May 28, while the Republicans - who are still figuring out the order of their nominations amid ongoing reports that rules were somehow adjusted to bolster Levy’s chances of getting the 50-plus percent of the weighted vote he needs to secure a ballot slot - begin on June 1.

The move by the Conservatives is likely to have some impact on what the Republicans do, since the third-party line has proven vital to GOPers statewide for years.

It eliminates the chance that some Levy boosters in the Conservative Party had held out hope for, which was convincing Long to re-open the executive committee vote if the Suffolk County Executive does indeed get on the ballot and force a primary.

But some Republicans also predicted a backlash with some GOP county chairs, predicting they may not want to feel like their hands were being forced. Another Republican insider said that this might stoke complaints of last-minute process changes that could backfire on Long, although given the flying charges of rules-bending all around, that might be a tough sell.

Still, there remains the possibility that Levy will get on the ballot and, if he wins, the Republicans and Conservatives will ticket-split - a move that will strongly benefit Democrat Andrew Cuomo.

“I’m not trying to get in anybody’s face,” Long told Politico, which first reported on his decision. But he added he believed the ongoing Republican internal strife was having an impact on down-ballot races, and that the two parties need to come together.

“I believe Rick Lazio will be the Republican nominee,” he added.

Levy, the Suffolk County Executive whose new Republican registration won’t take effect until after November, is Cox’s handpicked candidate. Long’s executive committee backed Lazio weeks ago.

Long has been a power player since assuming control of the party in 1988, and with a few exceptions, the GOP and the Conservatives have agreed on the top of the ticket.

“Long hasn’t had the same kind of working relationship with Cox as he’s had with previous chairmen,” said one veteran state Republican, noting that Cox has been insistent on recruiting multiple candidates for almost every race and has not sought to mind-meld with Long.

New York GOP spokesman Alex Carey said, “The Republican Party is going to make its own decisions, regardless of any choices or maneuvers made by outside organizations.”

Lazio’s camp said in a statement that the Conservatives’ decision “is further proof that (Levy’s) candidacy has little traction and is being perceived as it should be - the desire of one man’s ambition. Principles matter. Party loyalty matters. Our Republican Party matters.”

But Levy’s camp said it “demonstrates a level of concern over Rick Lazio’s ability to secure the support he needs to go forward with his campaign. If there was a high level of enthusiasm and confidence in the Lazio campaign, such maneuvering would not be necessary.”

The statement added, “Unlike the fair procedure that the Republican Party has employed, there has been a railroading of the process by the Conservative Party Chairman at the expense of rank-and-file committee persons. Nobody should anticipate the outcome of the votes at either party’s convention. Many of the largest-weighted Conservative counties are squarely behind Steve Levy.”