by David Saltonstall
New York Daily News
December 21, 2009
So long, Rudy.
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani is expected to announce Tuesday he is not running for U.S. Senate or anything else in 2010, effectively ending his storied – and often stormy – electoral career, The Daily News has learned.
The announcement, at which he’ll also endorse Republican Rick Lazio for governor, marks the end of a year-long political dance by Giuliani, who mulled bids for governor and then Senate before backing away from both.
He had reason to weigh each run: surveys showed him a clear favorite to win primaries for either office, and as recently as last week a poll showed Giuliani crushing freshman Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand by 10 points.
But the former mayor has decided to stay in the private sector, where he will continue his work as a security consultant, a sometimes TV commentator and, increasingly, a celebrity draw on the GOP fund-raising circuit.
“Next year should be an interesting cycle for Republicans, and he sees it as an opportunity to engage in targeted races across the country,” said a person familiar with Giuliani’s plans.
Giuliani’s decision to endorse Lazio – whom Giuliani famously big-footed when he chose to run for Senate in 2000, only to see Lazio replace him on the ballot after dropping out to battle prostate cancer – is the start of his push to help other GOPers, insiders said.
Ironically, however, Giuliani’s decision not to run will almost certainly benefit the Democratic Gillibrand more than anyone.
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