Economist David Malpass, who has never held public office, announced yesterday that he would seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, saying she was an “unelected occupant” of the seat who failed to protect taxpayers.

“She’s chosen at every step to spend New Yorkers’ hard-earned taxes without setting any limits,” Malpass said.

Malpass, a former treasury official under President Ronald Reagan, made the announcement with Steve Forbes, the multimillionaire publisher and former GOP presidential candidate, at his side.