Rudy won't challange Hilly in 2006, only to run for President in 2008. Makes no sense.
Hilly at least has the good sense to run for president after being Senator for 8 years. She won't lose her Senate seat ever, I don't think.
Rudy can and should challenge her for the Presidency. As early east coast returns come in, and its clear that Rudy has won both NY and NJ (which we would in a one-on-one with Hilly I think), and begins winning states in the South (for all the talk of disenchanted Conservatives, I can't believe they would be so immature and childish as to vote for Hilly, or allow her to win their states by inaction).
Rudy is not perfect, but he looks like a saint next to Hilly. And ultimately that's what it's all about. He is a superb leader and executive, and well suited to lead in the later phases of the War on Terror, I think, by his leadership capabilities and tough, no-nonsense style.
A few will moan that Rudy likes gay people and is for partial-birth abortion. The truth is, there's nothing wrong with having acquaintences who are gay, and he won;t be able to affect change on the Partial Birth Abortion issue which would have been settled by 2008 in the Courts. It's the law right now, and now we will find out if it passes Constitutional muster.
President Rudy won't be able to change that, as a practical matter.
Any single-issue conservatives alienated by Rudy will be offset by conservative and moderate democrats who will be turned off by Hilly, and turned on by Rudy. Rudy and a good VP gather, I suspect, around 400 EVs, about 75-100 more than I expect Bush will win.
Single-issue voters like that will only alienate themselves, and be comical in their public tantrums. They will be diminished in influence, and that may end up being a good thing.
I've seen the future, and it's Rudy. Republicans will understand that in 2008.
The alternative is downright creepy.
I think rudy will run only if Bush wins. The theory is it be a easy race because a lot of dems will vote for Rudy because they like him and be "setting Hilly free" to run for president. If Kerry wins not sure because Hillary will fight for the seat because no where to go.
Time to start praying for Armageddon.
You're assuming that there won't be a major third party right wing candidate, but I think the left will massively fund a candidate to split the right if Rudy is the nominee.