Amid Reports On Senate Bid, Rudy Giuliani Tops New Poll

Kris Alingod – AHN Contributor Albany, NY (AHN) – Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has dropped plans to run for governor and now has his eye on the seat of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), according to reports coinciding with polls that had America’s mayor at the top of the 2010 Senate race. Despite being the GOP’s best hope in the gubernatorial contest, Giuliani will no longer try to succeed Gov. David Paterson, according to the New York Times. He is seriously considering whether to run next year in the Senate, the New York Daily News reports. Gillibrand was appointed to fill Clinton’s seat this year until the special election for the remaining two years of the term. She is the presumptive Democratic nominee for the race. The 65-year-old Giuliani is a potential 2012 White House contender who sought the Republican presidential nomination last year. According to a new Marist poll, he would easily trump the only Republican officially in the race for governor, former New York Rep. Rick Lazio, in a party primary. In a general election, Giuliani would also win by a wide margin against Paterson, who is seeking his first full-term during next year’s elections, amid continued low poll ratings and even after the White House reportedly asked him not to run his unpopularity may cost Democrats seats in the race for the state legislature. But the poll, echoing previous surveys, also has Guiliani trailing state Atty. Gen. Andrew Cuomo by double-digits. In the Senate race, Giuliani is ahead of former New York Gov. George Pataki, 71 percent to 24 percent. He has a 14-point lead against Gillibrand. The latest Siena poll released last week has the former mayor ahead of Gillibrand by 3 points, down from a high of 16-points in September. The survey also said Giuliani would lose in a general election contest with Cuomo by a margin of 12 points. Article � AHN – All Rights Reserved