I can only give you the verdict of history: NO congressman is viewed as being experienced enough to be president. We have to go back to the 19th century, and I can't even think of anyone there off the top of my head.
By your definition, Rudy should be shunned even more. No one ever goes from Mayor directly to the presidency. This cult of Rudy is enough to make me gag. Not only is a mayor unqualified to be CIC, but for the sake of argument, if he is, then we'd want to look closely at the policies he thrusted upon NY. Some good, some more than abysmal. Sorry.