A fierce New York City political operative who once dated scandal-scarred former Gov. Eliot Spitzer is the brains behind presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg’s successful media campaign, according to a report Monday.

Lis Smith — who also served as spokeswoman for Mayor Bill de Blasio and worked on President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign — helped spark the media frenzy around the 37-year-old gay Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, according to Politico.

“She is the quiet hero of his emergence,” said David Axelrod, a political consultant who worked with Smith on Obama’s 2012 campaign.

“You’ve got this hard-nosed New York-style political operative and this friendly Hoosier mayor,” he said. “It is kind of fascinating to watch. ”

Smith helped get Buttigieg ink and airtime with national political reporters — and just about anyone with a microphone, according to the outlet.

Working with her, Buttigieg has appeared on BuzzFeed’s morning news show, Vice’s nightly news show, NBC and in dozens more TV, print and online publications.

“I want him on everything,” said Smith, who is Buttigieg’s communications adviser and all-around aide.

Smith made headlines herself in 2014 after she was photographed canoodling in a hot tub with the then-married Spitzer, who hired her to work on his 2013 comeback campaign for city comptroller in the wake of his infamous prostitute scandal.

Smith broke up with the Luv Gov in December 2016 when he confessed that he was being extorted by a $5,000-a-night Russian hooker, Page Six reported at the time.

But Smith — who is thick-skinned and works at lightning speed — didn’t allow the fling to damage her career in politics, according to Politico.

She has advised Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock.

Smith became a consultant for Buttigieg two years ago when he was laying the groundwork for a campaign to become chair of the Democratic National Committee.

She was skeptical about his potential success at first — but later dropped many of her clients to work with him.