Posted on 08/20/2009 10:09:43 PM PDT by neverdem
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani may be ready to discuss leadership with far more than the 15,000 people who packed HSBC Arena on Tuesday for a motivational conference.
In fact, area Republican leaders who met with him following the event say he appears more than interested in discussing leadership in a campaign to become governor of 19 million New Yorkers.
“He certainly didn’t commit to anything, but he was also gauging our interest in helping him run for governor,” said Niagara County Republican Chairman Henry F. Wojtaszek after a post-event meeting with Giuliani.
The former mayor, who joined former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Forbes magazine Publisher Steve Forbes and several others at a “Get Motivated” event in the arena, spent about an hour with approximately 10 Republican leaders from around Western New York on Tuesday afternoon.
He has made no concrete moves toward gaining the Republican gubernatorial nomination next year, despite polls that show him the strongest opponent to either Gov. David A. Paterson or Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo.
But the state’s Republican establishment is awaiting his decision as other potential candidates also explore a candidacy. While Giuliani continues to play coy, his Tuesday discussion seems to indicate that running for governor is very much on his mind.
“I would characterize him as interested in what our area is thinking,” Wojtaszek said, “and what the political environment would be up here should he run.”
That included the prospects for fundraising, Wojtaszek said, with other local sources indicating Giuliani believes he retains a strong local financial base following his aborted run for the Senate in 2000 and his unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2008.
Wojtaszek said Giuliani told the local leaders he will decide about running in either September or October. State Republican Chairman Joseph N. Mondello, a longtime Giuliani supporter, has already asked the former mayor to adhere to roughly the same timetable in order to prepare for the uphill campaign in heavily Democratic New York.
Wojtaszek, who is expected to formally announce his own campaign for state GOP chairman sometime this week, said the strength of the state party will weigh significantly in Giuliani’s decision.
County Executive Chris Collins has also been making the rounds of Republican organizations across the state, most recently at functions in Livingston, Ontario and Genesee counties. He has made no suggestion of running for any particular office, but those close to him say running for governor is a possibility. He has not specifically ruled out running for statewide office.
Others meeting with Giuliani on Tuesday in HSBC Arena included Wyoming County Chairman Gordon M. Brown and Chautauqua County Executive Gregory J. Edwards.
What happens if Paterson doesn't try to remain the governor?
Rudy might be able to beat Cuomo given how bad the political enviroment is going be next year for libs.
He can be a bit lib at times, but Id take him over the current gov hands down, and would beat any republican out there at the moment, when it comes to NY gov. He cleaned up NYC like no other.
He’s a RINO but a heck of a lot better than Paterson.
Run Rudy Run!
Coumo will beat Paterson. Paterson is toast.
Rudy can beat Coumo. A second tier GOPer would lose to Coumo.
Prediction: Rudy will hem and haw and when the polls tell him he's got an uphill fight he'll announce he's not running. One caveat. If Cuomo the Younger does the Hamlet routine his father did with running for POTUS then all bets are off.
I am not a Rudy (gun hating, pseudocatholic control freak who, pre-surgery, likely pleasured himself to “Law and Order” reruns) fan, but he would be a considerably improvement over the rather simian Andrew Cuomo. He would likely be better than Pataki.
Rudy knows NY and needs to go back and make it sane. The people of America wouldn’t mind that.
Screw Rudy Naziani. He’s absolutely no better than the control freak nanny state liberals.
The only question is, does Giuliani want New York State as much as New York State needs him???
The Drama Queen will surely take this. The Dems have nobody but Cuomo and Rudy doesn’t seem interested in the US Senate. He could still keep his dreams open for a 2012 run the way Obama is tanking and it’s 3 years away so trying to find a frontrunner is useless right now.
I doubt it right now but this could be as wide open as last election.
Good Gov. Group: Espada A Modern Day Boss Tweed
Paging Sen. Gillibrand: New Yorkers Don't Know You
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
I know that Guiliani is not a fave on this board, but NY could use him.
if any demhole challenges Paterson in a primary, he’s toast. Guiliani can beat any demhole if he runs a smart campaign.
I think Rudy is trying to decide between Governor and NYS Attorney General and THEN governor. I also think Rudy is waiting for what Cuomo might do. Rudy will run for whichever spot Cuomo doesn’t run for.
Thanks for the ping!
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