Giuliani not running for NY Senate or governor

NEW YORK – Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, viewed by many New York Republicans as a savior for the struggling party, said Tuesday that he won’t run for political office next year and instead would concentrate on his lucrative law and consulting businesses.

“We have some pretty significant commitments next year that will really make it impossible for me to run full-time for office,” Giuliani said Tuesday at a news conference to endorse ex-congressman Rick Lazio for governor.

Giuliani said he thought about running for governor against Democratic Gov. David Paterson and in the U.S. Senate race next year against freshman Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand.

“At different times, I thought I might do it,” he said, but “it just isn’t the right time.”

He said he wouldn’t rule out running for office in the future. “It’s a decision purely about 2010,” he said. “I have no idea whether I’ll run for something else.”

Giuliani, whose most recent foray into politics ended with a stinging loss to John McCain in the race for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, said there are strong GOP candidates for both Senate and governor, “and I want to start out by endorsing one, Rick Lazio for governor.”

Lazio replaced Giuliani on the ticket in the 2000 Senate race and went on to be trounced by Hillary Rodham Clinton. Giuliani withdrew from that race after getting prostate cancer and suffering a public breakup of his marriage.

Paterson appointed Gillibrand earlier this year to take over for Clinton after the former first lady became secretary of state. The 2010 election will decide who would serve out the balance of the term, through 2012.

Giuliani said ex-Gov. George Pataki and U.S. Rep. Pete King could be strong GOP candidates for Senate.

Potential candidates had been looking for word on Giuliani’s plans before proceeding with theirs, but Lee Miringoff of the Marist College poll noted time is growing short.

“This is the time to make your intentions known, regardless of the nuance of what Rudy may or may not say about it,” Miringoff said Tuesday.

Miringoff said Republicans hoping to win any office in a state dominated by Democratic voters need to establish name recognition and raise millions of dollars during what could potentially be a big year for Republicans.