Rudy Giulani has told associates he’s not going to make a play for governor in 2010, avoiding a potentially bruising election fight in a race where Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is seen as the Democratic frontrunner, several sources told The Post.
Several sources said the US Senate is seen as a strong possibility for Giuliani, as a challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
The sources said it was seen as an office in which he could do well, and which could be a stepping stone should he run for president again.
Giuliani started signaling to advisers and friends in the past few weeks that he’s not running, sources said.
A senior New York Republican official said, “Rudy has made it clear in recent days that he’s not going to run for governor.”
Several New York Republicans had grown weary of Giuliani’s Hamlet routine over whether to run for governor. While he’s widely considered their best prospect, he’s angered party leaders for delaying a decision – hindering others from raising money.
Former U.S. Senate hopeful Rick Lazio has declared his candidacy.
The Post recently reported that Cuomo sent a message to Giuliani that he was definitely running for governor next year.
Giuliani’s possible gubernatorial run had gained traction months ago, but seemed to die on the vine as he took no steps toward running
– and as Gov. David Paterson, who suffers terrible poll numbers, was asked not to run by the White House.
His longtime adviser recently publicly nixed the idea of Giuliani running for U.S. Senate, which GOP state chairman Ed Cox has suggested. But some Giuliani advisers, and many GOP political watchers, think it’s a possibility to consider, especially if he wants to go after the presidency again in 2012.
Just three nights ago, Giuliani appeared as the keynote speaker at the Guy Molinari Republican Club, where he continued to rip the Obama administration for trying five 9/11 terror suspects in New York
– a national issue that’s earned him media attention for days.
Several attendees, including Molinari, cast doubt on him running for governor but mentioned him as an attractive Senate prospect.
Multiple sources have said he’s got some interest in running again, although it’s unclear whether he’s seriously considering another candidacy after his failed bid netted him just one delegate.
Giuliani also has nearly $2 million in debt left over from his presidential run, which would make a senate race difficult.