NY GOP to Giuliani: Please Save Us

The Republican Party is New York State is in such dire straits, they pretty much deserve being cast out in the wilderness. Under the ineffectual leadership of former Governor George Pataki and in the years since he left, they saw majorities in both houses disappear and now they've lost control entirely.

Now they're reaching out to Rudy Giuliani to run the party.

FORMER Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate, is being urged to take over the state GOP after a disastrous election that cost Republicans control of the Senate, insiders told The Post.

At the same time, current state GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello, the Nassau County leader widely criticized as ineffective and out-of-touch, is being encouraged to step aside, and is expected to do so by the end of the year, the insiders said.

Giuliani has been told that he has just a few weeks to fill a leadership void that could result in the party splintering into Long Island and upstate factions.

"I know Rudy is being urged to get in and take control of the party," said former state GOP Chairman William Powers, whose tenure during the 1990s saw the election of Giuliani and Gov. George Pataki, and the re-election of US Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.

"The party needs strong leadership, that's for sure," continued Powers, a Giuliani ally.

Former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso, the Republican candidate for governor in 2006 and a possible candidate to head the GOP, said, "A lot of people are talking, saying we definitely need a change."

Bitter Senate GOP leaders use words like "embarrassing," "incompetent," and "nonexistent" to describe Mondello's leadership.

"It's time for him to go," said one of the state's best-known Republicans.

Giuliani spokeswoman Sunny Mindel refused to comment.

Frankly, I'd rather see Giuliani run against the odious Charles Schumer in 2010. If the Republicans want to make any inroads nationally during the next midterm elections, taking out Schumer would be a major step forward.