Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy today announced he is closing the door completely on a potential run for governor, deciding against seeking statewide office on an independent line and throwing his support behind his erstwhile opponent, Rick Lazio.

“While I realize that it would not be possible to win the governor’s seat without major party backing, I considered running on a third line in order to keep attention focused on important policies for which I care deeply,” Levy said in a statement.

“I am, however, heartened by the fact that many of the innovations I championed in my campaign have now been adopted by other candidates in the field. My call for a local property tax cap and a state spending cap are now part of the platforms of these candidates.”

“They are also talking about reforming the pension process, giving the governor the ability to impound funds, freezing salaries and benefits and working toward the elimination of burdensome state mandates including the Triborough Amendment, which provides automatic step salary increases.”

As you’ll recall, after failing to get onto the ballot at the GOP convention in early June, Levy insisted (contrary to statements made by his chief champion, state Republican Chairman Ed Cox), that he was still contemplating a run on an independent line. He also refused to endorse Lazio, saying he needed some time to let the dust settle.

Today’s announcement comes as no big surprise. I don’t think anyone really thought Levy would go for a long-shot third party run. He’s not circulating petitions to collect the 15,000 signatures necessary to create a new line, which are due on Aug. 17.

The fact that Levy has decided to back Lazio is a little bit surprising, considering how vehemently the county executive insisted during their short-lived primary battle that the former congressman wasn’t adequately qualified to be governor.

Levy said in his statement that he’s confident Lazio will “will work hard toward accomplishing many of the goals I had set out in my campaign,” adding:

“Over the past few weeks I have been in conversation with Rick Lazio, who has given me his commitment to vigorously pursue the tax and spending cap we so desperately need.”

“While other candidates have also recently come out in favor of caps, I believe it will be far more difficult for candidates from the Democratic side of the aisle to actually effectuate those changes due to pressure that will come to bear from the special interests within the party who champion more spending.”

“Mr. Lazio also committed to aggressively oppose illegal immigration and the heavy cost it places on local government.”

By “other candidates” I believe Levy is referring to AG Andrew Cuomo, who earlier this week appeared with Levy’s neighbor, GOP Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, to call for a 2 percent property tax cap.

Even though he failed to make it onto the GOP ballot, Levy has said he plans to remain a Republican, possibly complicating his 2011 re-election bid (although he did run on the GOP line last year, along with the Conservative, Indy, Democratic and WFP lines, and received 96.09 percent of the vote).

He also has pledged to be helpful to the Senate Republicans in their quest to regain the majority and has stood with members of the conference (or at least appeared on the same press release with them) on several occasions since the convention.

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