NEW YORK – A Manhattan banker and his pals want to cash in on Teresa Heinz Kerry’s unpopularity with conservatives by marketing “W Ketchup,” billed as a GOP alternative to the Heinz family’s famous condiment.

“About 6 weeks ago, I was sitting around at a barbecue with my friends and we realized that every time we bought the ketchup, we were sending a little bit over to her,” said company founder Bill Zachary, who leads a small investment group of 30-something Republicans. “Obviously, we’re selling a lot in the red states. But we’re also selling it to Democrats who want to buy a cool gift for their arch-conservative father-in-law.”

Their ketchup – which retails at $12 per four-pack – features the likeness of George Washington (who, like most of the founding fathers, lamented the destructive influence of political parties), not President Bush.

Zachary says he used the different “W” to avoid accusations his ketchup was an “overt campaign ad.” A portion of each sale will benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for the children of service members killed in the line of duty. It’s available at www.wketchup.com.

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