This could be his greatest role ever.
Actor Richard Gere’s name is being floated as a potential candidate for Congress in the northern suburbs, The Post has learned.
The current representative of the 18th Congressional District, Sean Patrick Maloney, is running in September’s Democratic primary for state attorney general and, if he’s successful, his House seat would be open.
And that’s where Gere comes in.
The 68-year-old activist, who lives in Pound Ridge, Westchester, within the district, is being talked up in Democratic circles as a possible replacement for Maloney.
“Richard Gere’s name is being whispered about among Democrats. We’ll see what he’s made of,” said Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano, an influential Democrat in Orange County, which makes up much of the district.
The mayor joked that his wife, Linda, was excited about the potential of a Gere candidacy.
“She met him when she attended NYU. She said he’s a nice guy,” recalled DeStefano, who emphasized he is supporting Maloney for attorney general. If Maloney loses that race, he intends to run for re-election for his current seat.
“The bottom line is I want to elect a Democrat to kill the Trump agenda,” DeStefano said.
The actor, a registered Democrat, already glad-hands like a political pro.
“Richard is real fun. On Election Day he comes up to each election inspector and personally thanks us for our work,” said Ellen Kearns, assistant secretary of the Westchester County Democratic Party.
While known for his heartthrob roles in movies like “Pretty Woman” and “An Officer and a Gentleman,” Gere is also politically active and is one of the leading voices for human rights in Chinese-held Tibet.
Neither Gere nor his publicist could immediately be reached for comment.