Giuliani Not Running for NY Governor in 2010; Update: Will Run for Senate?

Likely a wise move since for some strange reason he trails Andrew "Evil Eyes" Cuomo pretty consistently in polls and a loss would permanently ends any future White House aspirations.

Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has decided not to run for governor of New York next year after months of mulling a candidacy, according to people who have been told of the decision.

His decision is a blow to many Republican leaders, who had viewed Mr. Giuliani as the strongest potential candidate in a year in which voter anger and anti-Albany sentiment appear to be swelling.

Contenders from both parties have been waiting for months to hear what the former mayor would decide.

It was not clear what prompted the decision, but the prospect of potentially facing Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who is quietly planning his own run for governor, may not have appealed to Mr. Giuliani, who suffered a bruising defeat in the 2008 Republican presidential primary. While many political analysts believe Mr. Giuliani would have comfortably beaten Gov. David A. Paterson, he would likely have faced an uphill battle against Mr. Cuomo, one of the most popular politicians in the state.

Still, there are two Senates seats at stake next year, with Kirsten Gillibrand's the obvious easier target.

It remains unclear if the former mayor is considering any other political race in 2010. Some have urged him to take on the newly-installed Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, who has never run statewide and is still introducing herself to voters in parts of the state.

I wouldn't mind seeing his take on Chuckie Schumer, but unfortunately it appears the GOP won't even offer token opposition. Schumer's wife was a high-ranking appointee while Giuliani was Mayor of NYC, so perhaps the two have a deeper relationship than it known publicly. Nothing would make us happier than to see the unctuous Schumer booted out of Washington.

Update: This item says he's running for Gillibrand's seat.

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani has decided not to run for governor next year - but will run for U.S. Senate instead, sources told the Daily News.

A source familiar with Giuliani's thinking said the failed presidential candidate has been telling people he plans to run against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010 to fill out the remaining two years of Hillary Clinton's term.

If elected, the source said, he could use that as a stepping stone to run for President in 2012 - rather than run for re-election to the Senate.

A Giuliani spokeswoman downplayed the reports. "Rudy has a history of making up his own mind and has no problem speaking it," she said. "When Mayor Giuliani makes a decision about serving in public office, he will inform New Yorkers on his own."