Mark Schimel has been nominated by the Nassau County GOP to run against Democrat Michelle Schimel, with whom he separated last year after 32 years of marriage and two kids. The couple has not legally divorced.

“This is a very painful and personal family matter,” Schimel, who is making a bid for a fourth term in New York’s 16th Assembly district, said in a statement provided to POLITICO. “The Republican Party is taking advantage of it and manipulating the political process. They are using it as an opportunity to drag my personal life into the public. This Assembly seat is a serious office. I will run this campaign as I have every campaign: on the issues, on my record, and on my values. I look forward to continuing to represent the people of New York State.”

Mark Schimel and the Nassau County GOP have not returned POLITICO’s requests for comment. The New York Daily News first reported the story yesterday.

Scott Levenson — Michelle Schimel’s general consultant and the president of The Advance Group — told POLITICO that Mark’s bid is a political stunt orchestrated by the local Republican party. Her campaign will be about “civility and decency,” and not about either candidate’s personal lives, Levenson said.

“We’re going to keep the personal life of the assemblymember private,” Levenson said. “The fact is the Republican party is clearly manipulating this situation, sadly, for their own political game. Assemblymember Schimel is committed to keeping civility and decency in both the way she runs her government office and the way she runs her political campaign.”

Mark Schimel’s mother, Irma, told the New York Daily News she was shocked by her son’s decision to challenge Michelle.

“You’re joking,” she told the Daily News. “This is a really startling thing. It’s a shock. Why would he do this?”

Irma added that she believed her son will “never win anything against Michelle.”

“I love her very much,” Irma told the tabloid. “I can’t believe he’d do a thing like this. I’m going to talk to him.”